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Neuroscientist Colin Blakemore Dies at 78

The prolific science communicator specialized in studies of vision and brain plasticity and was the focus of threats from animal rights extremists for several years.

Written byLisa Winter
| 2 min read
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Colin Blakemore, a science communicator and pioneering neuroscientist who was among the first researchers to explain brain plasticity, died on June 27 at the age of 78 after receiving hospice care for motor neuron disease, his daughter Sarah-Jayne announced via Twitter.

Born June 1, 1944, in Stratford-Upon-Avon in England, Colin Blakemore showed academic aptitude early on. According to a tribute from the University of Oxford, Blakemore received a state scholarship to attend Cambridge University’s Corpus Christi College. He studied medical sciences and graduated with honors in 1965. He took only two and a half years after his graduation to earn his PhD in physiological optics from the University of California, Berkeley.

At age 24, he became a lecturer at the University of Oxford, where he would later be promoted to professor and fellow. He studied brain development, including binocular depth perception and spatial awareness, showing how vision developed and demonstrating ...

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Meet the Author

  • Lisa joined The Scientist in 2017. As social media editor, some of her duties include creating content, managing interactions, and developing strategies for the brand’s social media presence. She also contributes to the News & Opinion section of the website. Lisa holds a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in genetics, cell, and developmental biology from Arizona State University and has worked in science communication since 2012.

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