Ok, a raft of slightly weird ooh-look-what-we've-located-in-the-brain stories:
a brain region that helps you understand metaphors;
the parts that help you understand sarcasm;
the part that gets all excited when you fall madly, desperately in love;
and the part that keeps you buying all those lottery tickets.

Here's an article designed to provoke thought on the subject of chemical means of enhancing brain function - should we do it, if we could? The bit I found particularly interesting was the results of a poll in which people were asked whether they would, given the chance, give a safe drug to a child that would enhance his or her ability to learn to play the piano. Half said yes, and half said no, and both sides were convinced everyone would agree with them!

On a rather obliquely related topic, do we have free will? A hardy perennial, in the news again because of the publication of a new book on the subject.

And nothing to do with any of this at all, a rather cute series of studies showing that the gift of flowers is a practically infallible means of bringing a smile to someone's face.

A reader kindly pointed out a recent New Scientist article providing an overview of various strategies that might help you improve your cognitive function. A fair rendition, I thought, but if you want a bit more info on the various topics covered, here's a few links to articles on my own site:

Does physical exercise improve cognitive function?
http://www.memory-key.com/Articles/exercise.htm
The role of mental stimulation in aiding memory
http://www.memory-key.com/Articles/stimulation.htm
The role of sleep in memory
http://www.memory-key.com/NatureofMemory/sleep.htm
Working memory
http://www.memory-key.com/NatureofMemory/working_memory.htm ;
wm and intelligence:
http://www.memory-key.com/newsletters/issue_54.htm
The Mozart effect
http://www.memory-key.com/Language/Mozart.htm

There's also a summary of research reports on the effects of diet on cognitive function at http://www.memory-key.com/Seniors/substances.htm ; a couple of reports on the findings from the Nun study at
http://www.memory-key.com/news/2003/news_2003Jul.htm#education and
http://www.memory-key.com/Seniors/Alzheimers_risk_factors.htm#Nun%20Study ;
a news report about the neurofeedback research at
http://www.memory-key.com/news/2003/news_2003Jan.htm#Neurofeedback ;
and a news report about modafinil at
http://www.memory-key.com/news/2003/news_2003Nov.htm#Drugs which is worth noting because it mentions the possibility that this drug will impair performance for some.