Typically, we spend more than two hours each night dreaming. But often we wake with only a scant recollection of our dreams, unable to piece together the seemingly random events.
In an effort to decode our internal imagery, and better understand the minds of stroke, coma or neurodegenerative disease patients, scientists are using functional magnetic resonance imaging and software to monitor brain activity while sleeping. This recent ASAP Science video explores the latest research on visualizing and recording dreams. It's fascinating stuff.
Previously: Eye movement in REM sleep: Rapid, but perhaps not random and What we know about the meaning of dreams