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Xiangyi Meng

Xiangyi Meng

First Author, Physicist

Appears in 1 story

Notable Quotes

The same mathematical toolkits developed by string theorists for dealing with Feynman diagrams, when applied to the brain and other physical systems, could predict with high accuracy how neurons connect.

Stories

String theory mathematics applied to brain network architecture

New Capabilities

Assistant Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Since Santiago Ramón y Cajal mapped neurons in 1888, scientists assumed the brain optimizes wiring by taking the shortest path between connections. For over a century, that assumption held, until high-resolution brain imaging revealed neurons branch at right angles, sprout dead-end buds, and take seemingly inefficient routes—patterns the old math couldn't explain.

Updated May 29