CARTA Symposium: The Idea Organ

{{#ifeq:No|Yes||}

Virtual

Date: February27,2026

<a href="https://carta.anthropogeny.org/events/idea-organ" class="btn btn-outline-primary btn-sm w-100" target="_blank">Visit event page</a>

This symposium will explore how the human brain develops, functions, and maintains its role as the seat of ideas. We will trace its story from molecules, cells, neuronal migration and circuitry, to the maternal, parental, and social influences that shape its growth, including the countless ways that brain function can be compromised at any stage of life. We will examine how the uniquely human interplay of biology and culture gave rise to a brain capable of perceiving and remaking the world around us. By examining the evolutionary roots of our “idea organ,” we aim to illuminate how this singular capacity emerged—and how it continues to drive human innovation.