There is a moment, often somewhere between a school drop off and a late afternoon email, when...
Oscar Forrester
Very Big Brain is written by Oscar Forrester, a researcher and writer with a long-standing fascination with how the brain works. Oscar spent several years working in hospital IT, including on infection control systems, and grew up in a household shaped by medicine — his father was a physician and his mother a registered nurse. He is not a clinician himself, and nothing on this site should be taken as medical advice. What he brings instead is a rigorous, source-first approach to research, honed over two decades of writing (he’s authored numerous published books, primarily on software development), and a genuine curiosity about the science of cognition. Mr. Forrester strives to present complex topics in a clear and engaging manner, making it easy for you to understand and apply the knowledge to your daily life.
Yes, intermittent silence can retrain the brain for better attention by reducing sensory overload, restoring focus networks,...
Cognitive effort is the felt cost of thinking. You notice it when a puzzle heats your forehead,...
Working from home can feel like trying to concentrate in a grocery store. The brain keeps glancing...
Yes, eating Lion’s Mane mushrooms may support nerve growth in the brain because they contain compounds shown...
It’s easy to feel like something’s wrong with you. You can’t focus. You burn out faster than...
The workday ends on the calendar before it ends in your nervous system. Emails echo in your...
Your brain is incredible. It’s not a static machine. It’s not limited to the wiring you were...
On days when focus feels slippery, the problem is not just in your head. The heart and...
Executive function is the quiet conductor of your day. It does not play an instrument, it points...