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They really do! A new study reveals that the way that the visual centers of men and women’s brains works is different: Men have greater sensitivity to fine detail and rapidly moving stimuli, but women are better at discriminating between colors. In fact, most of the people who are colorblind are men.

In the brain there are high concentrations of male sex hormone (androgen) receptors throughout cerebral cortex, especially in the visual cortex, which is responsible for processing images. Androgens are also responsible for controlling the development of neurons in the visual cortex, meaning that males have 25% more of them than females.
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It’s actually the opposite: A new study demonstrates that our genes are controlled by our culture and environment.

Here’s an example: In the Wall Street Journal, Matt Ridley writes: "All mammals can digest lactose sugars in milk as babies, but the lactase gene switches off at weaning when no longer needed. In much of Europe and parts of Africa, by contrast, most people can digest lactose even as adults, because the lactase gene remains switched on. (About 90% of East Asians and 70% of South Indians are lactose-intolerant to some degree.)
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When Bob Gleason was last on Dreamland in 2011, we talked about the changes that 2012 might bring. With December 21, 2012 fast approaching, where are we now? "Everybody knows we’re staring into the gun barrel of too many catastrophes…There’s no reason why they should all happen on December 21, 2012," but we need to be very aware of the fact that we are balancing on a very fine wire. Bob is extremely well informed, and he creates a welcome path for us through the minefield of the near future.

Bob’s unique take on our immediate future is extremely well informed and useful. He is not a scaremonger, but a very effective guide down a difficult path.

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