Jon Hamilton

Scientists have developed an artificial hearing system that harnesses the brain's ability to amplify certain sounds while suppressing others. It could lead to better hearing aids.

Scientists say they've developed brain-decoding technology that could help people who use hearing assistance devices pick out one voice in a crowded room — a longstanding challenge for hearing aids.

Scientists are learning how the brain extracts discrete words from a continuous stream of sounds. Copyright 2026 NPR

When you’re listening to a familiar language, you hear individual words. But what if you don’t know the language?

After spending two decades studying how the brain works, a huge team of scientists in Seattle is preparing to focus on treating brain diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, using gene therapy.

Allen Institute scientist Aaron Garcia (right) and executive vice president Ed Lein (left) examine a section of human brain in the lab. The institute has launched the Brain Health accelerator, which will focus on using genetic therapy to develop treatments for a range of brain disorders.

The most powerful factors affecting a child's brain development involve socioeconomic opportunities, according to a study in the journal Science

A study of more than 2,300 9- to 10-year-olds found that socioeconomic factors explained most differences in the preteens' brain development.

One of the world's top centers for brain science is taking a huge gamble on a tiny, transparent fish.

One of the world's leading brain research centers is shifting away from fruit flies and toward a tiny, transparent fish. The goal: to understand how brains control the behavior of an animal or human.