Bioelectricity: Reasons to Be Amazed and Hopeful—My Personal Favorites

Abstract

The field of bioelectricity is growing so rapidly, any attempt on my part to summarize its extraordinary breadth and depth would be a shallow report, a list really. Instead, I've zoomed in to introduce two marvelous examples of new understanding and application of bioelectricity. The signaling Venus flytraps use to capture and digest insects is a marvel of electrical engineering. The application of magnetic fields to treat conditions with brain involvement can offer relief from debilitating symptoms that have been refractory to other treatments. These, and a multitude of other fascinating stories, are helping to spread the word that bioelectricity can and should be seen as a critical approach that can change both science and medicine. This important journal will continue to carry that message.