Republication of The Journal of Physiology (1959) 148, 574-591: Receptive fields of single neurones in the cat's striate cortex. 1959.

Abstract

This issue of The Journal of Physiology celebrates the 50th anniversary of the classic joint paper by David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel (Receptive fields of single neurones in the cat's striate cortex, Journal of Physiology 148, 574–591, 1959), which led to a revolution in our understanding of visual processing and to their well-deserved Nobel Prize in 1981. We are delighted to celebrate this publication, for all sorts of good reasons. This was the first joint paper by Hubel & Wiesel, and this and their many subsequent papers helped us to understand not only visual processing, but also how the brain operates. Their papers are not only superb examples of physiological experimentation, but wonderfully clear scientific writing. They explain elsewhere how their paper underwent many drafts and refinements but the key element comes from their own crystal clear logical style. We reproduce the full paper here, not only as a milestone in neurophysiological investigation, but also as a wonderful model for paper writing. The present issue contains fascinating contributions from a wide array of Hubel and Wiesel's collaborators, former postdocs and colleagues. The articles range from research papers to reviews, with reflections and speculations and even philosophical discussions. I should point out that sometimes it is hard to get authors to contribute to Special Issues, but in this case we were overwhelmed with such sheer enthusiasm and delight that our authors jumped at the chance to celebrate David and Torsten. The esteem, genuine affection and considerable respect in which these gentlemen are held is quite moving. They are held thus not only for their considerable scientific achievements, but also for their mentoring of individual colleagues to whole departments. They say that you should never meet your heroes; this is nonsense. I was fortunate enough to meet both of David and Torsten over the last several months and could feel not only the power of their sheer brilliance, but also the warmth, patience, and kindness that the following authors all point out. Many scientists today (sadly) are focused solely on their work or the narrow world of their laboratories or career prospects. David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel have an amazing number of outside interests and achievements and one feels they would have made a considerable impact in whatever they eventually chose as their ‘day job’. On a personal note, I’d like to thank them not only for their immense help in putting this celebratory Special Issue together but also for putting me on the path to a career in physiology. I remember listening to the Reith Lectures on the radio when I was a teenager, and in particular Colin Blakemore's wonderful ‘Mechanics of the Mind’. In one episode (I used to play the cassette tapes over and over; they wore out) Blakemore talked about the experiments of Hubel & Wiesel, and I never quite got over the excitement and shock of hearing about how nerve cells could ‘decode’ bars moving in the animals visual field, indeed discern tiny differences in orientation. When the time came for me to give lectures to first year students, some of whom had done no biology at all, I would always use those beautiful early experiments of David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel to make them see not only how marvelous the brain was, but how with insight, patience and sheer determination, scientists could figure out actually how this marvel comes about. We don't celebrate achievements nearly enough, but I hope you will join with The Journal in celebrating the wonderful achievements and contributions of Hubel and Wiesel; Happy Scientific Birthday gentlemen.