BBC News: Miniature 'human brain' grown in lab

www.bbc.com...

The human brain is one of the most complicated structures in the universe. Scientists at Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences have now reproduced some of the earliest stages of the organ's development in the laboratory. […] The cells were able to grow and organise themselves into separate regions of the brain, such as the cerebral cortex, the retina, and, rarely, an early hippocampus, which would be heavily involved in memory in a fully developed adult brain.

Having been able to create an in vitro specimen of the human brain, the biothechnologists hope to solve the riddled causes of schizophrenia and autism, and study what may cause the brain to develop defects leading to these and a wide array of illnesses.

www.nature.com...

Here we have developed a human pluripotent stem cell-derived three-dimensional organoid culture system, termed cerebral organoids, that develop various discrete, although interdependent, brain regions. […] We demonstrate premature neuronal differentiation in patient organoids, a defect that could help to explain the disease phenotype. Together, these data show that three-dimensional organoids can recapitulate development and disease even in this most complex human tissue.

This reveals what I have long suspected that not only are we capable of cloning a human being, we are even able to improve it. I don't think it is creepy actually, I see it as the fulfilment of Genesis 1:26 "Let us make man in our image". School's out, Man has become a God through Knowledge. Too bad so many people had to die and that it would take 6000 years getting here from the time we ate the forbidden fruit back in Eden. Bollocks to some, prophecy to others.

Finally we can now say "grow a brain" and not calling someone out !

Do you think I get a mini brain on a key chain?

Now they need to work on brain replacements, some people need to start over.

That's nothing. The last 4 presidents had done the same thing in their skulls.

originally posted by: Eyemin
Do you think I get a mini brain on a key chain?

I'd like one surgically implanted. Always wanted to have a conversation with myself.

a reply to: Utnapisjtim

Thats soo cool.
Imagine now that we ever learn to replicate this process within a living organism. Brain trauma? No problem, lets just regrow that part...

Begs the question though. If we ever manage to grow a whole brain....will it have consciousness? Or is the spark needed for that or just a soul....

a reply to: tadaman

Just motor control. Like a car with no driver.

I put a call into the souls department but have yet to receive a call back.

originally posted by: Utnapisjtim
This reveals what I have long suspected that not only are we capable of cloning a human being, we are even able to improve it. I don't think it is creepy actually, I see it as the fulfilment of Genesis 1:26 "Let us make man in our image". School's out, Man has become a God through Knowledge. Too bad so many people had to die and that it would take 6000 years getting here from the time we ate the forbidden fruit back in Eden. Bollocks to some, prophecy to others.

Christians are normally very against these sorts of ventures because it is "playing god" but I normally retort with what you just said. If they believe man is made in their god's images, wouldn't that include our capacity for creation itself?

All of that aside, it's a forgone conclusion. It's a bridge we will eventually cross, no matter what. Extrapolate that to the end game and we will be creating our own universes. It's inevitable and there's no indication we will be stopped.

This is the way forward though. This is what we are meant to be doing. Studying and understanding the universe. What is the point of having the capacity to do so if we are forbidden from using it? Seems to me that the only people who would enact such barbaric laws are those who stand to benefit from people remaining ignorant, ie the religious leaders who's power depends on people believing in superstitions over science.

One thing that does kind of concern me though is if the brain has any kind of awareness. After all it is a miniature human brain, it could potentially experience itself in a locked-in syndrome manner, which would be uncomfortable for it.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: tadaman

Just motor control. Like a car with no driver.

I put a call into the souls department but have yet to receive a call back.

See, that's where the union between science and spirituality will reach an apex and continue forth as one concentrated field.

Since there is no limit to our creative capacities, given time, going backwards in our history, there's no reason to think we weren't created by the same means. Our souls could be somebody's version of AI (what we know as divine could be a "holy" technology) who couldn't figure out how to duplicate their own way of existence. Or perhaps we will be able to attract consciousness (or souls, etc) into whatever vessels we create.

Not to mention, a common belief among today's science community is that our consciousness/souls are simply a result of our complex biological construct. That would explain any confidence they would have in this working, as well.

originally posted by: intrptr

originally posted by: Eyemin
Do you think I get a mini brain on a key chain?

I'd like one surgically implanted. Always wanted to have a conversation with myself.

I would leave that talk with a black eye.

Pinky: Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight?
Brain: The same thing we do every night, Pinky - try to take over the world!

I imagine customized brains in the future.... The gigantic brains will change the gravity of earth to keep their heads up!

What if htey find out people who have lower IQ's actually have a kind of disease that started when they were young?

So maybe in the future we'll all have high IQ.

This bio or genetic engineering is hiding behind a smokescreen.

Same deal with prosthetic. They're supposedly there only to cure physical disabilities. But the same research can potentially be applied in robotics and in brain-chip interfaces. They can feed each other.

If it ever becomes as easy to just flip a few genes on/off in the embryo to give someone a higher IQ later in life then what does that say about people who don't have those genes? Are they disordered or disabled?

They can always just call something a disability or disease and get a free ticket. That's how genetic or developmental engineering happens. It doesn't start by improving healthy people, it starts by fixing "broken" people. And what's thought of as "broken" changes with the times.

Think about Hitler trying to make the master race. Except rename HItler something friendly like Dr. Wismel Oasmizai (made up name). Instead of trying to cure a race he's trying to cure a problem or disorder. Ultimately he has the similar goal as HItler: to create something perfekt.

I imagine most of what we're today will someday be deemed a disorder or problem if we were placed into a future society.

Since the brain actually includes the entire central nervous system and likely everything else we carry around, they have a way to go.

a reply to: Iamthatbish
Huh UH! The last time a brain that small made a bad decision, it got me in some trouble. Only listen to the big brain. I repeat! Only listen to the big brain!

The cells were able to grow and organise themselves into separate regions of the brain, such as the cerebral cortex, the retina, and, rarely, an early hippocampus, which would be heavily involved in memory in a fully developed adult brain.

If it has an early hippocampus then it will have memories, memories of what? It has retinas, so it will be able to remember light and dark times. You could even condition it to expect a certain light/dark sequence.

For example if you were to flash light for 1 second on and off three times and then leave the light on for a minute and then turn it off for a minute and repeat it enough times the brains will have a memory of what happens after the three one second flashes. If it can access these memories is another thing though.

But I believe in the soul (which isn't really what people mean when they say "soul" but the spirit) and so this is a driverless car, without a spirit in the driver's seat.

a reply to: Cuervo

Our souls could be somebody's version of AI (what we know as divine could be a "holy" technology) who couldn't figure out how to duplicate their own way of existence. Or perhaps we will be able to attract consciousness (or souls, etc) into whatever vessels we create.

Oh, I agree with that first part . The proof for me of that is DNA, the womb, eggs and seeds. As far as attracting souls, I still haven''t got that call back from them.

But I believe (beliefs are limited to my POV) that like our technology directed at AI, we are just pecking on the surface when it comes to life. So we copy it, meh.

Thanks for the reply, sorry for the delay. I like conversing with people that are not stuck in the past as far as interpreting life, the Universe and everything. Thats refreshing.

originally posted by: Eyemin

originally posted by: intrptr

originally posted by: Eyemin
Do you think I get a mini brain on a key chain?

I'd like one surgically implanted. Always wanted to have a conversation with myself.

I would leave that talk with a black eye.

Do you mean fighting with yourself? Thats funny.

I didn't know where to carry it, there were so many paths. Ever see "All of Me" with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin? Funny parallels. If you like comedy and satire check it out.

originally posted by: Cuervo

originally posted by: Utnapisjtim
This reveals what I have long suspected that not only are we capable of cloning a human being, we are even able to improve it. I don't think it is creepy actually, I see it as the fulfilment of Genesis 1:26 "Let us make man in our image". School's out, Man has become a God through Knowledge. Too bad so many people had to die and that it would take 6000 years getting here from the time we ate the forbidden fruit back in Eden. Bollocks to some, prophecy to others.

Christians are normally very against these sorts of ventures because it is "playing god" but I normally retort with what you just said. If they believe man is made in their god's images, wouldn't that include our capacity for creation itself?

I see Genesis 1 as a prophecy about the development of civilisation, showing the development of science and religion from the dawn of civilisation around 4000 BC over the coarse of 7 millennia ("one day for god is 1000 years", 6000 is now) written to mimic the development of life on Earth and the process of terraforming on much larger scales.

All of that aside, it's a forgone conclusion. It's a bridge we will eventually cross, no matter what. Extrapolate that to the end game and we will be creating our own universes. It's inevitable and there's no indication we will be stopped.

Indeed, science and spirituality will once again melt together and form the basis of all knowledge. When science admit that God beat them at genetic engineering by millions of years and religion admits that science is the Way, Truth and Life of God-- then we have come a long way.