Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine
have determined the precise anatomical coordinates of a brain “hot spot,”
measuring only about one-fifth of an inch across, that is preferentially
activated when people view the ordinary numerals we learn early on in
elementary school, like “6” or “38.”
Activity in this spot relative to neighboring sites drops
off substantially when people are presented with numbers that are spelled out
(“one” instead of “1”), homophones (“won” instead of “1”) or “false fonts,” in
which a numeral or letter has been altered.