The Convoluted Brain: Wrinkles and Folds - Alain Goriely

Gresham College Lectures

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/_Q_30OIPzXw
The human brain has a very distinct and complex appearance with valleys and ridges folding over themselves. The same convolutions are found in large mammals, but not in smaller ones. This observation suggests that size and geometry play a role. Yet, these beautiful shapes have defied a complete description or understanding.
This lecture will address questions stemming from this picture: How do these shapes emerge? How are they arranged? Simple mathematical models can help us understand the emergence of these beautiful patterns during development as well as their pathology.
This lecture was recorded by Alain Goriely on 12th November 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.
Alain is Gresham Professor of Geometry.
He is currently the Director of the Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2022.
The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:
https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/big-brain
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