W riting 6 Scrivi le forme al comparativo di maggioranza e/o al superlativo relativo degli aggettivi tra parentesi. A 3D map of the human brain A group of scientists from the Julich Research Centre in Germany have built a new threedimensional map called BigBrain : it is the 0. most detailed (detailed) and the (1) (good) map ever constructed. Before this research, the (2) (serious) problem was to identify the exact position of the neurons and to see how the cells are organised, as the surface of our brain is covered with creases and folds. To make the map, the scientists embedded a 65-year old woman s brain in wax; then they sliced it into (3) (much) than 7400 sections, each 20 micrometres thick to have a (4) (clear) idea this means one-fifth of the width of a human hair and made digital images of the slices. The (5) (difficult) task was to reassemble these images into a full 3D model of the brain: the scientists worked 1000 hours on a supercomputer. However, the image resolution was (6) (good) than they expected as the computer was able to determine the 3D shape of each fold correctly. The resolution of the new model is 50 times (7) (high) than that of the previous maps. The German group plans to post BigBrain online, so that other researchers can use it and integrate it with other findings. This map for instance could be one of the (8) (useful) references for the Brain Project championed by US President Barack Obama, which aims to map all the brain s activity or it could favour the study of abnormalities linked to specific neurological diseases. What we know for certain is that more and more research will be done to solve the mystery of our brain. (Adapted from http:// www.new scientists.com) USEFUL WORDS abnormality = anomalia; to aim = avere come obiettivo; cell = cellula; championed = sostenuto; crease = grinza; disease = malattia; to embed = infilare, conficcare; finding = scoperta; fold = piega; to link = collegare; to post = mettere in Internet; to slice = affettare; thick = spesso; wax = cera; width = larghezza. 69