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A Billion Things to Ask a Neuroscientist
** Finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards
** Award Winner in Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY)
** Award Winner in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards
A Billion Things To Ask A Neuroscientist unlocks the mysteries of your brain makes learning about neuroscience exciting and easy. Journey through groundbreaking research that reveals how and why your brain works the way it does.
Now you have your own personal neuroscientist by your side! This interactive book includes exclusive links to explainer videos from the author, 2D animations, mini-games, and real brain dissections to give you unprecedented access to the secrets of neuroscience!
Have you ever wondered why we feel afraid and if we can become fearless? What happens in our brains when we laugh or listen to music? Why can't we remember being born? What makes the brain of an introvert and extrovert different? Get ready to challenge everything you thought you knew about the brain.
Step into the Neuroscience Time Machine and explore some of the strangest and most gruesome experiments in history. Unveil the truths behind head transplants, terrifying babies, brain removals, and secret CIA drug programs—all in the pursuit of neuroscience. But was it worth it?
A Billion Things To Ask A Neuroscientist is more than a book; it's an expedition into your brain to find the answers you have always wanted to know. Are you ready to unlock the secrets of your brain?
** Award Winner in Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY)
** Award Winner in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards
A Billion Things To Ask A Neuroscientist unlocks the mysteries of your brain makes learning about neuroscience exciting and easy. Journey through groundbreaking research that reveals how and why your brain works the way it does.
Now you have your own personal neuroscientist by your side! This interactive book includes exclusive links to explainer videos from the author, 2D animations, mini-games, and real brain dissections to give you unprecedented access to the secrets of neuroscience!
Have you ever wondered why we feel afraid and if we can become fearless? What happens in our brains when we laugh or listen to music? Why can't we remember being born? What makes the brain of an introvert and extrovert different? Get ready to challenge everything you thought you knew about the brain.
Step into the Neuroscience Time Machine and explore some of the strangest and most gruesome experiments in history. Unveil the truths behind head transplants, terrifying babies, brain removals, and secret CIA drug programs—all in the pursuit of neuroscience. But was it worth it?
A Billion Things To Ask A Neuroscientist is more than a book; it's an expedition into your brain to find the answers you have always wanted to know. Are you ready to unlock the secrets of your brain?
- GenresScience
368 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2024
4 people are currently reading
3277 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 10, 2025
I just finished reading “A Billion Things To Ask A Neuroscientist” by Mike Tranter and honestly, it blew my mind. It is easily one of the most engaging books on neuroscience I have read in ages. Unlike those dry and dull, lengthy technical books about the brain (which I have read, mind you), this one actually had me hooked since the very first chapter. The author’s innovative approach with an engaging and clear style made the book exciting and understandable.
What sets this book apart is its smart format. Instead of the usual textbook approach with lots of unnecessary jargon, the author structures everything around some questions we’ve all wondered about every day but not asked or felt the need to ask. Why do we get déjà vu? What’s actually happening when we dream? Do we really only use 10% of our brains? (Spoiler: that’s a myth, and Tranter explains why! It will make you feel smarter for knowing the truth. Believe me!)
The integration of technology in almost every chapter of the book is genius. Throughout the book, you’ll find QR codes linking to video content where the author brings concepts to life. It’s like having a mini-documentary series built into your reading experience. Watching real brain models and experiments in action makes complex concepts click to anyone that text alone never could. This book is like neuroscience for dummies!
What really impressed me is how the author walks the line between scientific accuracy and accessibility. I don’t know how the author created the balance, but he did it precisely. He doesn’t water down the science–instead, he builds up your understanding piece by piece, using parallels and real-world examples that stick in your mind. One moment you’re learning about neurotransmitters through a comparison to a rush-hour traffic system, the next you’re discovering the fascinating (and sometimes gruesome) history of brain research. This is exactly what popular science should be–accurate, accessible, and absolutely intriguing.
The book covers everything from the basics of brain anatomy to advanced research in consciousness and memory. It is professionally edited and contains no grammatical or punctuation mistakes. The tone and flow of the book are apt and fluid, and the illustrations are quirky and exciting.
Five out of five stars, no hesitation. Dr. Mike Tranter has managed to create something rare: a science book that’s both genuinely educational and thoroughly entertaining. Just be prepared to have your mind blown (pun intended) multiple times per chapter. Whether you’re a science buff or just someone curious about why your brain does what it does, this book is a goldmine. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially to people who love to read about science.
What sets this book apart is its smart format. Instead of the usual textbook approach with lots of unnecessary jargon, the author structures everything around some questions we’ve all wondered about every day but not asked or felt the need to ask. Why do we get déjà vu? What’s actually happening when we dream? Do we really only use 10% of our brains? (Spoiler: that’s a myth, and Tranter explains why! It will make you feel smarter for knowing the truth. Believe me!)
The integration of technology in almost every chapter of the book is genius. Throughout the book, you’ll find QR codes linking to video content where the author brings concepts to life. It’s like having a mini-documentary series built into your reading experience. Watching real brain models and experiments in action makes complex concepts click to anyone that text alone never could. This book is like neuroscience for dummies!
What really impressed me is how the author walks the line between scientific accuracy and accessibility. I don’t know how the author created the balance, but he did it precisely. He doesn’t water down the science–instead, he builds up your understanding piece by piece, using parallels and real-world examples that stick in your mind. One moment you’re learning about neurotransmitters through a comparison to a rush-hour traffic system, the next you’re discovering the fascinating (and sometimes gruesome) history of brain research. This is exactly what popular science should be–accurate, accessible, and absolutely intriguing.
The book covers everything from the basics of brain anatomy to advanced research in consciousness and memory. It is professionally edited and contains no grammatical or punctuation mistakes. The tone and flow of the book are apt and fluid, and the illustrations are quirky and exciting.
Five out of five stars, no hesitation. Dr. Mike Tranter has managed to create something rare: a science book that’s both genuinely educational and thoroughly entertaining. Just be prepared to have your mind blown (pun intended) multiple times per chapter. Whether you’re a science buff or just someone curious about why your brain does what it does, this book is a goldmine. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially to people who love to read about science.
October 15, 2025
A FUN, ACCESSIBLE BOOK ON A COMPLEX TOPIC
Neuroscience is a complex discipline, and one humanity is still grappling to understand, but author Mike Tranter, PhD, has written an excellent guide in "A billion questions to ask a neuroscientist".
He has made the subject fun and highly accessible with his engaging writing style, and has included loads of links to extra content. His youtube videos are just as fun and engaging as the book, but you don't have to watch them to understand the book. His sincere and down-to-earth approach to helping understand the subject is obvious.
Whilst I have a fairly good understanding of neuroscience, and its friend psychology, (which Tranter acknowledges are friends!) I still found several new gems of insight in this book. Weird, random things like: why we enjoy being scared (by watching scary movies for example) is a phenomenon I've never given much thought to, but the book explains it super well.
I was also fascinated by the chapter on near death experiences (NDE) and was not surprised to learn that the type of emotions experienced during a NDE are influenced by a person's belief systems and personal views. What I didn't know is that, in the moments after physical death, there is a surge in brain activity called 'the wave of death' in which gamma waves flood the brain with 'yippee' emotions. The author goes on to explain more of the research on this topic, all of which is fascinating.
I could go and give loads of fascinating examples from the book but I won't spoil it for other readers. My advice to potential readers - if you have even the slightest interest in how your brain works - read this book! There is a reason it has won awards. It's a 5-star recommendation from me!
Neuroscience is a complex discipline, and one humanity is still grappling to understand, but author Mike Tranter, PhD, has written an excellent guide in "A billion questions to ask a neuroscientist".
He has made the subject fun and highly accessible with his engaging writing style, and has included loads of links to extra content. His youtube videos are just as fun and engaging as the book, but you don't have to watch them to understand the book. His sincere and down-to-earth approach to helping understand the subject is obvious.
Whilst I have a fairly good understanding of neuroscience, and its friend psychology, (which Tranter acknowledges are friends!) I still found several new gems of insight in this book. Weird, random things like: why we enjoy being scared (by watching scary movies for example) is a phenomenon I've never given much thought to, but the book explains it super well.
I was also fascinated by the chapter on near death experiences (NDE) and was not surprised to learn that the type of emotions experienced during a NDE are influenced by a person's belief systems and personal views. What I didn't know is that, in the moments after physical death, there is a surge in brain activity called 'the wave of death' in which gamma waves flood the brain with 'yippee' emotions. The author goes on to explain more of the research on this topic, all of which is fascinating.
I could go and give loads of fascinating examples from the book but I won't spoil it for other readers. My advice to potential readers - if you have even the slightest interest in how your brain works - read this book! There is a reason it has won awards. It's a 5-star recommendation from me!
May 7, 2025
Reviewed for Foreword Books Indies awards.
Mike Tranter provides a glimpse into a lot of the pop science questions surrounding neuroscience, like whether there really is such a thing as left- and right-brained people, frontal lobotomies, hating the sound of our own voice, and what happens to the brain during near-death experiences. Broken into easily digestible chunks and written at a very readable level, Tranter gives a fun and interesting view of the brain.
Mike Tranter provides a glimpse into a lot of the pop science questions surrounding neuroscience, like whether there really is such a thing as left- and right-brained people, frontal lobotomies, hating the sound of our own voice, and what happens to the brain during near-death experiences. Broken into easily digestible chunks and written at a very readable level, Tranter gives a fun and interesting view of the brain.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews