Scientists have actually already starting doing this! They have started “reading the mind” of people using things like MRI machines, where they could see in an image a letter that a person was thinking about! How incredible! Scientists have now also been able to make false memories in mice by shining light into their brains!
We are a long long way off knowing everything about the brain, but it is certainly something that scientists are working on, and I think it will definitely be possible in the future!
You may not know this, but you’ve just summarised the main idea of my favourite sci-fi TV show at the moment… (I don’t know if I should advertise it, might be a bit scary for the younger kids on the forums… but meh! It’s called Dollhouse and it’s awesome.)
But yes! Like Sam said, there are machines that show how electrical signals move through our brains, and usually if there’s electricity in a part of the brain, we’re using it!
We know where memories are *stored* in the brain, but I think we’re a long way off being able to read them out of a brain, or store them on a hard-drive just yet.
I don’t know if I’d want my memories stored though! Maybe just the good ones? Not any of the times I’ve tripped over and embarrassed myself…?
Seth at the moment no! There is a potential for it perhaps yes but then let me ask you an ethical question: What happens if you store your memory onto a hard drive and then someone steals that drive?
I think I’m with Elanor on this, I wouldn’t want my memories stored on a drive. I store my memories in photographs and written notes 🙂
Elanor and Sam have also given you cool info about the way we are studying the brain but I am totally fascinated in re-programming the brain where the brain was damaged by an accident or disease. I think this is where scientist should invest time and money, not hard drive memo storage.
I would like to give you an example of re-programming a person brain that has Parkinson’s Disease. This is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. This basically means that the nervous system and electrical sparks that are sent in the brain are going wild and crazy. This results in uncontrolled movement of the body and impaired function. The brain needs to be re-wired. So in studying the brain through things like MRI, we can understand how the brain sends electric impulses to the rest of the body. We can then design little implants onto the brain and send little sparks of electricity to the right part of the brain so that a Parkinson’s patient can function almost like a normal human being. Like this patient in this video https://io9.com/mans-parkinsons-disease-symptoms-vanish-with-the-push-596699696
The Brain, a funny, squishy yet complicated blob carried in a thick skull…woah! fascinating 😀
Nice seth, coming out with the big questions!
Scientists have actually already starting doing this! They have started “reading the mind” of people using things like MRI machines, where they could see in an image a letter that a person was thinking about! How incredible! Scientists have now also been able to make false memories in mice by shining light into their brains!
We are a long long way off knowing everything about the brain, but it is certainly something that scientists are working on, and I think it will definitely be possible in the future!
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Hey Seth!
You may not know this, but you’ve just summarised the main idea of my favourite sci-fi TV show at the moment… (I don’t know if I should advertise it, might be a bit scary for the younger kids on the forums… but meh! It’s called Dollhouse and it’s awesome.)
But yes! Like Sam said, there are machines that show how electrical signals move through our brains, and usually if there’s electricity in a part of the brain, we’re using it!
We know where memories are *stored* in the brain, but I think we’re a long way off being able to read them out of a brain, or store them on a hard-drive just yet.
I don’t know if I’d want my memories stored though! Maybe just the good ones? Not any of the times I’ve tripped over and embarrassed myself…?
Hmm. : )
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Seth at the moment no! There is a potential for it perhaps yes but then let me ask you an ethical question: What happens if you store your memory onto a hard drive and then someone steals that drive?
I think I’m with Elanor on this, I wouldn’t want my memories stored on a drive. I store my memories in photographs and written notes 🙂
Elanor and Sam have also given you cool info about the way we are studying the brain but I am totally fascinated in re-programming the brain where the brain was damaged by an accident or disease. I think this is where scientist should invest time and money, not hard drive memo storage.
I would like to give you an example of re-programming a person brain that has Parkinson’s Disease. This is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. This basically means that the nervous system and electrical sparks that are sent in the brain are going wild and crazy. This results in uncontrolled movement of the body and impaired function. The brain needs to be re-wired. So in studying the brain through things like MRI, we can understand how the brain sends electric impulses to the rest of the body. We can then design little implants onto the brain and send little sparks of electricity to the right part of the brain so that a Parkinson’s patient can function almost like a normal human being. Like this patient in this video https://io9.com/mans-parkinsons-disease-symptoms-vanish-with-the-push-596699696
The Brain, a funny, squishy yet complicated blob carried in a thick skull…woah! fascinating 😀
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I hope not! Then I’d need to remember where I put it!!
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