Bizarre: The Most Peculiar Cases of Human Behavior and What They Tell Us About How the Brain Works

The brain: brilliant, powerful... and utterly bizarre.

Why would someone be terrified they might slip down a shower drain? Or insist they've turned into a cat? What can rare brain disorders—and surprisingly common mental quirks—teach us about how we think, feel, and behave?

In Bizarre, neuroscientist Dr. Marc Dingman explores the strangest corners of the mind, from delusions and phobias to everyday oddities that defy logic. These phenomena aren't just curiosities—they offer surprising insights into memory, emotion, decision-making, and the very nature of consciousness.

With clarity, empathy, and a touch of humor, Bizarre invites readers to see the brain not just as our most powerful tool, but as a machine that is endlessly weird—and endlessly revealing.

Marc Dingman received his Ph.D. in neuroscience in 2013 from the Pennsylvania State University. Since then, he has been a faculty member in the Biobehavioral Health Department at the Pennsylvania State University, where teaches courses in neuroscience and the health sciences. He received the Teaching Excellence Award from the College of Health and Human Development in each of the past four years, the Health and Human Development Alumni Society Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017, and the Biobehavioral Health Outstanding Teaching Award in 2015.