Inside our heads we carry around an infinite and endlessly unfolding map of the world.
Navigation is one of the most ancient neural abilities we have-older than language. In Dark and
Magical Places Christopher Kemp embarks on a journey to discover the remarkable extent of what
our minds can do. Fueled by his own spatial shortcomings Kemp describes the brain regions that
orient us in space and the specialized neurons that do it. Place cells. Grid cells. He examines
how the brain plans routes recognizes landmarks and makes sure we leave a room through a door
instead of trying to leave through a painting. From the secrets of supernavigators like the
indigenous hunters of the Bolivian rainforest to the confusing environments inhabited by people
with place blindness Kemp charts the myriad ways in which we find our way and explains the
cutting-edge neuroscience behind them. How did Neanderthals navigate? Why do even seasoned
hikers stray from the trail? What spatial skills do we inherit from our parents? How can
smartphones and our reliance on GPS devices impact our brains? In engaging engrossing language
Kemp unravels the mysteries of navigating and links the brain's complex functions to the
effects that diseases like Alzheimer's types of amnesia and traumatic brain injuries have on
our perception of the world around us. A book for anyone who has ever felt compelled to venture
off the beaten path Dark and Magical Places is a stirring reminder of the beauty in losing
yourself to your surroundings. And the beauty in understanding how our brains can guide us
home.
