Neuroscience

Distinguished Professor Emeritus Charles Stevens and coauthor Shyam Srinivasan illuminated how, in a brain area responsible for processing information about smells (called the piriform cortex), what looks like a messy jumble of connections between neurons is actually critical to how the brain distinguishes between similar odors. Aside from better describing how smells are processed, the research could also lead to greater insight into how some parts of the brain organize information.

Professor Terrence Sejnowski and UC San Diego collaborators used reinforcement learning to train gliders to autonomously navigate atmospheric thermals, soaring to heights of nearly 2,300 feet. The results highlight the role of vertical wind accelerations and roll-wise torques as viable biological cues for soaring birds. The findings also provide a navigational strategy that directly applies to the development of autonomous soaring vehicles or unmanned aerial vehicles.