Optogenetics wins the Nobel – one neuroscience breakthrough in a line of technological innovations helping scientists map and control the brain

This feature explains optogenetics as part of a broader technological progression in neuroscience: visualize the brain, measure its function, then control it. The technique allows researchers to manipulate neuronal activity with precise temporal control using different colors of light. It highlights how technological advances have enabled scientists to understand the brain's extraordinary complexity—tens of thousands of neurons and support cells within a cubic millimeter—and move toward therapeutic applications.

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