Balls of brain tissue grown from stem cells are helping us understand why some people struggle to be sociable and others can't rein themselves in. Alysson Muotri at the University of California, San Diego, and his team have created mini-brains from stem cells taken from the pulp of children's milk teeth. These "organoids" can develop as many as six layers of cerebral cortex - the outer surface of the brain. The cortex houses circuitry governing our most complex thoughts and behaviours, including socialising.
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