mirror neuron

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mirror neuron

A neuron found in the cerebral cortex that is active when one performs an action or when one witnesses another performing the same action, and whose function is thought to be involved in acquiring language and the ability to empathize.

mirror neuron

Any of a group of neurons that become active both when an animal moves in a certain way and when the animal observes others performing the same action. Learning by simulation or imitation is thought to be a function of the system of mirror neurons in the brain.

See also: neuron

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References in periodicals archive ?

In November 2008, the GMT's cube, polar axis and bearing mounts, declination axis and bell-shaped housing, north bearing quadrant, modern mirror cell, and fragmented 50-inch mirror were retrieved from the incinerated building and trucked to Melbourne.

New Life for the Great Melbourne Telescope: Australian groups are restoring what was once the world's largest equatorially mounted telescope

For example, Jason made Adrian's mirror cell out of steel to the KB design.

Building a large Dobsonian telescope

I will have the mirrors recoated, purchase a new tube, and build a new primary mirror cell and secondary mirror holder.

Wheel of Misfortune: A freak accident after the August eclipse mars the author's memory of an otherwise sensational event

Ellison's skill as a mirror maker is undoubted, but his mirror cells and tubes were less advanced.

The real origins of amateur telescope Making: amateur astronomy is what it is today because of mirror-grinding enthusiasts more than a century ago

You can read about his double-plate mirror cell at his website, www.garyseronik.com.

A gimbaled mirror cell: aligning your Newtonian's optics is a snap with well-designed components

At the back end I dispensed with a traditional Dobsonian's mirror box and simply attached the aluminum struts directly to the rear disk of the double-plate mirror cell. The front ring, rear mirror-cell plate, and side bearings share the same 11-inch outside diameter, so I saved construction time by using just one setting on my router's circle-cutting jig.

My outback travelscope: built to take flight, this 8-inch Dob makes the grade with today's baggage regulations

"Its fully extended legs were just long enough for my scope's focal length, and they give the tube the collapsible trusses I wanted." At the mirror end of the scope the tripod legs bolt to a frame that holds the mirror cell, while at the front end they attach to the metal ring of the secondary cage.

A collapsable-tube Dob: this all-aluminum Dobsonian features portability and aperture

Lightweight Telescope Mirrors I'm building a 16-inch telescope and want to know if my design for the mirror cell looks right to you.

Lightweight telescope mirrors

The fact that the scope is short enough for you to look in the focuser while adjusting the collimating screws on the mirror cell is one more benefit of the 6-inch f/5 optics.

A bigger blast for the buck: with its 6-inch aperture and 23-pound weight, this isn't your kid's StarBlast!

It features over a hundred mirror cells and interactive exhibits that bring to the fore the science and mechanics behind optical illusions, all while following a compelling storyline.

Science, snow and so much more: Things to do at west side Singapore

They also showed that specific subsets of mirror cells increased their activity during the execution of an action but decreased their activity when an action was only being observed.

First direct recording of mirror neurons in human brain

These neurons and another group located elsewhere in the premotor cortex have been dubbed mirror cells.