Researchers have devised a method that allows them to study neurological activity in moving animals. At first glance this might now seem like a big deal, but it could be the catalyst of some major neurological discoveries in the future, and a lot of the thanks can go to the PC game Quak 2.

While scientists have a general understanding of the brain, what has alluded them is researching single neurons and how they work when being used. The problem with tracking individual neurons is that when the head is in movement, the neurons are all over the place. Thus, making it impossible to study each neuron specifically.

A Princeton neuroscientist, David Tank had this to say about their research, “One of the major research areas of neuroscience is the development of techniques to study the brain at cellular resolution”

In order to be able to study the neurons of mice, they devised a contraption where the mouse’s head could be still while firing the neurons off. A styrofoam fall being kept up with a pocket of air acted as a treadmill where the mouse could run without moving his head. Then a virtual maze was created using the Quake 2 mod, and presented to the mouse. At the end of the maze the mouse would be award.

Here’s a video of the experiment:

Ads, it’s a four letter word to some. You’d think that ads carry some form of plague as much as people try to avoid them. DVR, ad blockers, all serve to quench our thirst for a non-ad world. Hold on a second, what if the ads that were shown to you related to things you enjoy in life. For instance, if you enjoy fighting games what’s wrong with an ad popping up showing off the new Tekken game releasing.

Well, according to this study you don’t even want targeted ads. The study involved two universities who surveyed asked a variety of people if they want targeted online ads. Sixty six percent of the people surveyed they don’t want ads that are targeted to their lives. They were then asked if ad vendors ought to display targeted ads based on tracking customer’s behavior…86% said no.

This survey debunks the constant assurance that marketers are giving people what they want with behavioral targeting. Jon Leibowitz, the chairman of the FCC has said the survey could potentially lead to new privacy laws. Below are some fun facts from the survey which hopefully enlighten the right people to show what people really think of behavioral advertising.

- 35% of the respondents company execs should face jail time if they use people’s information illegally

- 18% believe the practice should put companies out of business.