Explore information and decision theory principles applied to neural communication in this lecture by Cornell University's Toby Berger. Delve into a generalized Shannon-Blackwell billiard ball channel model to understand intercellular information transfer. Discover how the minimum number of ions needed for reliable detection relates to channel storage and prior ion concentration. Gain insights into why neural pulse trains exist in the peripheral nervous system and learn about their information-carrying properties. Examine the capacity of large-b Shannon-Blackwell channels and coding schemes for reliable information transmission. Follow along as Berger connects theoretical concepts to experimental findings in neuroscience, offering a mathematical framework for understanding neural communication mechanisms.