Although other primates and many other animals have working memory, the human brain gives our species a unique ability to reason, remember and build models of the future. Our brain-specifically, the prefrontal cortex-defines our prevailing spirit, distinctive character, talent, aptitude and inclination. Our genius. In The Genius Engine, Kathleen Stein investigates the wonders of our prefrontal cortex, or PFC. Drawing on her decades of experience as a science and technology editor and writer, she deftly explains how the PFC gives us the special flexibility to update information from moment to moment and to make long-range plans; how it controls our artistic and athletic intelligence; and how it determines our moral compass. She delves into the mundane and often taken-for-granted capacities of the PFC-such as multitasking, humor and empathy-and probes the social problems caused by a dysfunctional PFC. Examining how the PFC orchestrates our entire mental universe, The Genius Engine shows why some individuals are hardwired to be dark and brooding and why little laughs are evolution®s way of encouraging us to do some light cognitive calisthenics. It also explores how we can expand the PFC®s capacities, demonstrating how the preschool television show Blue®s Clues helps children develop their memory and how bilingualism enhances a child®s working memory and control processes. Read Less