New research maps brain connections that appear to spark self-awareness and thought.

Neuroscientists may be closer than ever to understanding one of humanity’s greatest mysteries: consciousness itself. A new study published in Nature Neuroscience used advanced brain imaging to identify a network of regions that appear to work together whenever a person becomes aware of something—whether it’s a sound, an image, or a thought. The findings suggest that consciousness isn’t confined to a single brain area but instead emerges from communication between deep structures and higher cortical regions.








