---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Twenty years after that first recording…"
description: "\"“Twenty years after that first recording in the laboratory, a cascade of well-controlled experiments with monkeys and later with humans (different kind..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/marco-iacoboni-90574_soccer-ball_twenty-years-after-that-first-recording_1446567.jpg"
---

#  Twenty years after that first recording in the laboratory…

![“Twenty years after that first recording in the laboratory, a cascade of well-controlled experiments with monkeys and later with humans (different kinds of experiments, for the most part; no needles inserted through skulls) have confirmed the remarkable phenomenon. The simple fact that a subset of…” quote by Marco Iacoboni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/marco-iacoboni-90574_soccer-ball_twenty-years-after-that-first-recording_1446567.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/marco-iacoboni-90574_soccer-ball_twenty-years-after-that-first-recording_1446567.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/marco-iacoboni-90574_soccer-ball_twenty-years-after-that-first-recording_1446567.jpg)

> ““Twenty years after that first recording in the laboratory, a cascade of well-controlled experiments with monkeys and later with humans (different kinds of experiments, for the most part; no needles inserted through skulls) have confirmed the remarkable phenomenon. The simple fact that a subset of the cells in our brains—the mirror neurons—fire when an individual kicks a soccer ball, sees a ball being kicked, hears a ball being kicked, and even just says or hears the word “kick” leads to amazing consequences and new understandings. THE FAB FOUR We now know that about 20 percent of the cells in area F5 of the macaque brain are mirror neurons; 80 percent are not.””

[Marco Iacoboni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-iacoboni/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Mirror neurons fire during action observation, linking perception and execution, revealing shared neural mechanisms.

**In simple terms:** Seeing actions triggers similar brain activity.

Key Takeaway

Observe actions to understand empathy.

Themes

neuroscience mirror neurons observation action empathy

Mood

curious analytical

Type

scientific educational

When to use this quote

- education
- sports
- therapy

Key Concepts

cognitive science psychology biology

Questions to Reflect On

- How do mirror neurons influence learning?
- Can they explain empathy?

A Different Perspective

Complexity of brain functions may oversimplify social behavior.

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[Brain Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain-mirror-5191059/) [Brains Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brains-mirror-5191057/) [Cells Brains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cells-brains-5191060/) [Macaque Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macaque-brain-5191058/) [Mirror Neurons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror-neurons-1077150/) [Soccer ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer-ball/)

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> [“...he'd know about the role of mirror neurons in the brain, special cells in the premotor cortex that fire right before a person reaches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/he-d-know-about-the-role-of-mirror-neurons-in-the-brain-special-cells/)

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> [In the World Cup, people of many nations come together for a fierce competition. To field the best team, all the competitor nations know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-pritzker/in-the-world-cup-people-of-many-nations-come-together-for-a-fierce/)

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## More by Marco Iacoboni

> [“The firing pattern of both mirror and canonical neurons in area F5 shows clearly that perception and action are not separated in the brain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-iacoboni/the-firing-pattern-of-both-mirror-and-canonical-neurons-in-area-f5/)

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[Explore all 2 Marco Iacoboni quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-iacoboni/)

## More Soccer ball quotes

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