John C. Wathey

John C. Wathey

John C. Wathey is a retired computational biologist whose interests include evolutionary algorithms, the biology of nervous systems, and the biological roots of religion. He got his PhD from the Department of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, and spent most of his career working on computer simulations of protein folding. His first book, The Illusion of God’s Presence, explores the evolution of the emotions and intuitions behind religious belief, emphasizing behavioral and psychological research. His latest book is The Phantom God: What Neuroscience Reveals about the Compulsion to Believe. It relates the motivating forces behind religiousness to the neural circuitry of embodiment, mother-infant attachment, adult sexual pair-bonding, addiction, selective attention, hallucinations, and many other neurological surprises.

Articles by John C. Wathey

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Book Excerpt from The Phantom God

Book cover of The Phantom God by John C. Wathey

Opinion: Neuroscience Could Help Demystify Religious Experience

May digest 2025 cover
May 2025, Issue 1

Study Confirms Safety of Genetically Modified T Cells

A long-term study of nearly 800 patients demonstrated a strong safety profile for T cells engineered with viral vectors.

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Detecting Residual Cell Line-Derived DNA with Droplet Digital PCR

Detecting Residual Cell Line-Derived DNA with Droplet Digital PCR

How technology makes PCR instruments easier to use.

Making Real-Time PCR More Straightforward

Characterizing Immune Memory to COVID-19 Vaccination

Characterizing Immune Memory to COVID-19 Vaccination

Optimize PCR assays with true linear temperature gradients

Applied Biosystems™ VeriFlex™ System: True Temperature Control for PCR Protocols

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