When I was growing up there were certain topics that nobody would talk about. I knew I was in a strange world! Why were the most important things never talked about? I was particularly surprised when I learned that the world of science was no different. When I was small I developed the idea that scientists questioned everything and nothing was taboo for science. But when I was in school, I learned that people who studied the brain thought "consciousness" was a dirty word; just too wishy-washy for "real" science. I was always attracted to the borders of conventional science where the really hard questions hide from the "cream skimmers"- the professional scientists who only work on simple problems.