Peter Borden and colleagues in Garrett Stanley’s lab at Georgia Tech published in Neuron using NeuroNexus 32-channel acute probes and optoelectrodes (A1x32-5mm-25-177-A32, A1x32-Poly3-5mm-25s-177-OA32LP) to map and record single- and multi-unit activity in mouse somatosensory (whisker) thalamus (VPm) and cortex (S1). Their study tested thalamic mediation of cortical sensory activity, e.g., perception, in awake animals. During optogenetic hyperpolarization of VPm, thalamocortical bursting increased but did not result in increased S1 responses. Rather, S1 synchrony increased, having implications for sensory detection and disrimination.