Those
mad neuroscientists, they'll
never learn, but maybe in the end we'll all be better off for it.
Wired has put together an extremely intriguing write-up of the short history of optogenetics -- featuring a German pond scum researcher, a Nobel Prize winner, and rat brains controlled by beams of light. Optogenetics is a relatively new technique for communicating with the brain, which involves the implantation of particular light-sensitive genes into animals with the purpose of repairing neurological ailments through light therapy (no, not
that kind). By hooking up fiber-optic cables to the affected area of the brain, researchers have been able to completely restore movement in mice with Parkinson's disease and their current efforts revolve around developing a less invasive method that doesn't go deeper than the outer surface of the brain. Most revolutionary of all, perhaps, is the eventual possibility for two-way traffic (i.e. a machine being able to both send
and receive information from the brain), which brings all those
cyborg dreams of ours closer to becoming a reality than ever before. Hit up the read link for the full dish.
posted Oct 21st 2009 10:26AM
"Alright! Who slipped the LSD/Ecstasy software script into the program?? The monkey is tripping balls again!"
What? It's no more whacked out than your average Prē ad. :D
Uninformed speculation - What if trepanning was an early means of doing just this? What if this takes off as a form of body modification, jeweling the hole to seal it, and thereby gilding the wound. Can't wait to see those pics on BME zine.
MOVE, MONKEY!!
I second that!
There is some boobage going on there!
No thanks, it looks like her boobs are in the middle of her stomach. Not okay
That is one creepy-ass photoshop.
Well we certainly know who's become the Photoshop guru of the Engadget crew eh Vladislav ;)
Phew... I was using "Optogenetics" for long time... my photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fl-r/2459442761/
no photoshop! ;)
no, that would be Justin Wood.
http://www.singlecell.to/illus/Wired_Optogenetics.jpg.php
So the girl and the monkey are in a strained relationship, and the mouse is the couples' therapist, and they all communicate through the bright neon brain connectors...
Sounds about right.
Though entirely understandable, it is nonetheless politically incorrect to refer to Germans as "pond scum."
This was on GIZ yesterday. Keyword: "Yesterday"
And its here today.
Yay!
Keyword in article: Optogenetics, which indicates "Who really cares if we post this today?"
That picture is straight off of the Wired site.
Gah, stupid comment system forgets that I'm replying to Sax25.
No more school!!!!
If they hurry up we might have a chance when the robots revolt!
Looks like the Palm Pre chick dyed her hair...
FTW!!!!
Stupid comment system. Was directed @Brando.
Uhh, I know Engadget is basically the bottom of the journalistic food chain as nothing more than a glorified (though popular) tech blog, but seriously? Using someone else's illustration from a prominent tech magazine without credit?
That's just outright theft of intellectual property (great SEO/web "journalist" technique).
Please cite Justin Wood or remove the graphic.
fyi, http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/10/mf_optigenetics
Jackass, the pic links to its article at wired.
Yes it is now, it's called editing.
BrainChip.info has all of the details. More boobage too!
.... or we could stop poisoning ourselves and the environment we live in with toxic crap and eat a better diet, then we wouldn't have to have wires plugged in to our heads.
Right.. because basically all diseases come from "toxic crap" and bad diets... genius...
Pretty much, yup.
Certainly the vast majority of degenerative ones.
But not those that categorized as genetic disorders..
Genes play a role in the likelihood of you developing them. However many more people carry the genes than develop these conditions. Something has to flick the switch ......
Some families or groups of individuals with the 'nasty' genes suffer high incidences of the conditions associated with them - others do not. The answer lies in their diet, lifestyles and what they may be exposed to ... these influence epigenetics, and it appears that one's forebears' diet, lifestyle and what they may have been exposed to influences the one's epigenetics. So you may be damned by your parents .... something to bear in mind if you intend to have children.
So I just watched "Sleep Dealers" last night and now I see this. Awesome! Sign me up for some "nodes"!
Isn't this the crazy elf lady from the pre commercials?
Science FTW
ILLUMINATI!
LightPeek into ur memories.
If we want to compete with robots from the coming robot uprising, we better start upgrading ourselves now.
Some would argue that the mad neuroscientists are, in fact, constantly learning. It would seem even that this is the root of your problem with them, not the opposite?
That's it. I'd better start packing my survival bag, machina sapiens is down the road.