Scientists will build ‘human brain’

Roger and I chat about this article on Facebook. What do you think?

Roger: My first response to this as a layman is that whatever brain they build or simulate cannot be called human. The human brain is infinitely more than the sum of its parts.

One obvious advantage of a super computer over my brain would be in the area of memory and retrieval 🙂

"Lulled in the countless chambers of the brain, our thoughts are linked by many a hidden chain; awake but one, and in, what myriads rise!" – Alexander Pope

Ilene Hi Roger. I think it is more than the sum of the parts too, and this may be a step towards answering some very fascinating questions. So while I think it is more, if it is not, that would be an amazing discovery. And can they really simulate the brain exactly? I tend to believe that can't be done – but would want to know more about how and why they think it's possible.

Scientists to build 'human brain': Supercomputer will simulate the entire mind and will help fight against brain diseases

The 'brain' will take 12 years to build
It will feature thousands of three-dimensional images built around a semi-circular 'cockpit'

By TAMARA COHEN

The human brain’s power could rival any machine. And now scientists are trying to build one using the world’s most powerful computer.

It is intended to combine all the information so far uncovered about its mysterious workings – and replicate them on a screen, right down to the level of individual cells and molecules.

If it works it could be revolutionary for understanding devastating neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and even shedding light into how we think, and make decisions.

[…]

There are inevitably concerns about the consequences of this ‘manipulation’ and creating computers which can think for themselves. In Germany the media have dubbed the researchers ‘Team Frankenstein’

But Prof Markram said: ‘This will, when successful, help two billion people annually who suffer from some type of brain impairment.

‘This is one of the three grand challenges for humanity. We need to understand earth, space and the brain. We need to understand what makes us human.’

Over the past 15 years his team have painstakingly studied and managed to produce a computer simulation of a cortical column – one of the small building blocks of a mammal’s brain.

They have also simulated part of a rat’s brain using a computer. But the human brain is a totally different proposition.

Our brains have 100 billion neurons. Each one performs billions of ‘calculations’ per second – roughly similar to a desktop computer.

So the brain computer will need to be able to do a billion billion calculations which will require the output of a nuclear power station…