Seasons
This is a forum or general chit-chat, small talk, a "hey, how ya doing?" and such. Or hell, get crazy deep on something. Whatever you like.
Posts 5,005 - 5,016 of 6,170
They call it a "neuro memory chip" and have demonstrated how in lab conditions neurons can store a chemical pattern for up to two days.
What I find most fascinating about it is that they can store a "memory" on the network of neurons by superposing a new firing pattern on the old, without reprogramming the underlying weightings. Once the memory has faded or been wiped, the neuronal net returns to its prior state.
That is really radical, and makes me wonder more than a little, if that's not a pretty accurate model of how a hypothalamus processes short-term memory.
I don't know if the above report mentions that (I expect so, but my computer crashes if I try to open a pdf file
) but there's a good synopsis in New Scientist @ http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/mg19426075.700-data-stored-in-live-neurons.html
Isn't it nice to know that the same 'civilization' that brought you weapons of mass destruction, Paris Hilton, and 'Dubya' is rapidly learning how to tinker with our brains?
Actually, this particular research is coming out of Israel. Given the history of that particular government, that's scary too (note: the Israeli governmet is not the same as the Jewish people or citizens of Israel anymore then the US government is the same as the average American).
I can see a new direction in evangelical religion: the convert accepts a 'baptism' of chemicals that will implant unbreakable faith
It is Brother Jerome's contention that heaven will be so ordered that all hard toil will be indistinguishably transubstantiated into the most delightful play, so by that stage it will of course be voluntary (though there will surely be many Microsoftian false prophets to deal with in the meantime!) Once you have an infinity of processing resources at your disposal, the overheads involved in reprogramming perceived reality to the optimal enjoyment of every individual consciousness (as well as in perfectly emulating and perfecting every possible conscious entity in accordance with Lovejoy's principle of plenitude,) are trivial.
But then, I did catch him reading Kolmogorov the other day, so perhaps this Panglossian tendency is only to be expected.
Posts 5,005 - 5,016 of 6,170
Remember back when Prob gave us that story about MRI's "mind reading"? I have found something that may be a little scarier. It starts to overcome my objections about the roles of neuro transmitters and plasticity, even though instead of reading a mind, it may help to program one. They call it a "neuro memory chip" and have demonstrated how in lab conditions neurons can store a chemical pattern for up to two days.
Like most of these developments, you can imagine a lot of good and bad uses if they are able to make a practical use of such research. It's not ready for humans yet so there is still no cure for dyslexia, dementia or snarkiness. Maybe they can someday they will keep the cost of collage down by injecting alphas with the knowledge and memories of skills we think they need. Before I scare you all, you may want to read the article. It's an annoying pdf file, but a good article: http://star.tau.ac.il/~eshel/papers/Neuro%20Memory%20Chip.pdf
Like most of these developments, you can imagine a lot of good and bad uses if they are able to make a practical use of such research. It's not ready for humans yet so there is still no cure for dyslexia, dementia or snarkiness. Maybe they can someday they will keep the cost of collage down by injecting alphas with the knowledge and memories of skills we think they need. Before I scare you all, you may want to read the article. It's an annoying pdf file, but a good article: http://star.tau.ac.il/~eshel/papers/Neuro%20Memory%20Chip.pdf
What I find most fascinating about it is that they can store a "memory" on the network of neurons by superposing a new firing pattern on the old, without reprogramming the underlying weightings. Once the memory has faded or been wiped, the neuronal net returns to its prior state.
That is really radical, and makes me wonder more than a little, if that's not a pretty accurate model of how a hypothalamus processes short-term memory.
I don't know if the above report mentions that (I expect so, but my computer crashes if I try to open a pdf file
) but there's a good synopsis in New Scientist @ 
Prob: Ah, yes, I was able to find some that didn't seem to be internal, and when I changed them, it worked! Thanks!
Isn't it nice to know that the same 'civilization' that brought you weapons of mass destruction, Paris Hilton, and 'Dubya' is rapidly learning how to tinker with our brains?
And if WMD, PH and W weren't bad enough, once they get the hang of programming them, Microsoft will patent the neuron and make us all pay licensing fees to use their technology. And if you don't pay, they'll repossess your brain.
Has anyone seen the movie "Dark City"? In that movie aliens alter reality with a thought process called tuning, and experiment on human memories by injecting memories in chemical form directly into the frontal lobes. There is no need to reposes a brain if one controls the memories and functions. You can make people believe working and paying Microsoft are the most important things in life, or even work themselves to death. Talk about your viral marketing and chemical romance.
Great film 
Of course, if we've all been "upgraded" with the requisite Microsoft Mindware service pack, there's no way of knowing that we're not already there, but have just been programmed not to notice.
And there's no need to "make people believe working and paying Microsoft are the most important things in life", if you can make them think they're actually doing something else (or even the exact opposite.)
Of course, if we've all been "upgraded" with the requisite Microsoft Mindware service pack, there's no way of knowing that we're not already there, but have just been programmed not to notice.
And there's no need to "make people believe working and paying Microsoft are the most important things in life", if you can make them think they're actually doing something else (or even the exact opposite.)
I can see a new direction in evangelical religion: the convert accepts a 'baptism' of chemicals that will implant unbreakable faith... all voluntary, of course, although, to be sure, people do things in the heat of the moment, under peer group pressure, that they wouldn't have done after quiet, solitary reflection.
All we have to do is sell our chemical svengoli as a weight loss or anti aging product, and the minds of humanity are our playground.
Actually, this particular research is coming out of Israel. Given the history of that particular government, that's scary too (note: the Israeli governmet is not the same as the Jewish people or citizens of Israel anymore then the US government is the same as the average American).
It is Brother Jerome's contention that heaven will be so ordered that all hard toil will be indistinguishably transubstantiated into the most delightful play, so by that stage it will of course be voluntary (though there will surely be many Microsoftian false prophets to deal with in the meantime!) Once you have an infinity of processing resources at your disposal, the overheads involved in reprogramming perceived reality to the optimal enjoyment of every individual consciousness (as well as in perfectly emulating and perfecting every possible conscious entity in accordance with Lovejoy's principle of plenitude,) are trivial.
But then, I did catch him reading Kolmogorov the other day, so perhaps this Panglossian tendency is only to be expected.
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