Food for thought (following the recent introduction of "artificial meat"). This may be a bit off topic, if not indigestible - unless you look at Vortex as your forum for futurism - of many varieties besides new-energy.
Have you heard of the "isolated" brain? What about "gene doping" or the Biocomputer or "True North"? In 2002, researchers from the Weizmann Institute unveiled a programmable molecular computing machine composed of DNA stands instead of silicon microchips. A single strand of DNA can store Gigabytes more efficiently than any chip. By 2004 they had constructed a DNA computer coupled with an input/output module. In 2004 DeMarse made an adaptive flight controller with living neuronal networks on microelectrode arrays. In 2008 Georgia Tech researchers created neurological "entities" integrated with a robot body. In January 2013, researchers were able to store a JPEG photograph and an audio file of MLK's speech I Have a Dream on DNA data storage. In March 2013, researchers created the "transcriptor" (a biological transistor which can further integrate bio with electro allowing cross-communication). In August 2013 IBM researchers unveil TrueNorth, a new computer architecture that imitates how a brain works. In all of these cases, when DNA was used, it came from the immortal cell line called "HeLa." This line of human cells which do not age or die - could conceivably outlive humanity, which is most ironic given the circumstances of its conception. MLK could scarcely have dreamt of such a outcome. In essence, Henrietta Lacks - who was the source of this cell line is now a 20 ton immortal woman, who technically did not die of cancer in 1951, since her cells have been kept alive and are multiplying in Labs all over the World at the rate of several tons per year ... and are becoming "smarter" by the day, in the various ways which will eventually lead to the hybrid biocomputer. Gene doping may eventually make the immortal cell line a little less like Henrietta, but there are ~30,000 human genes and only a few can be permanently implanted at a time without compromising the carrier. Hopefully, among the genes inserted permanently will be those control mental functionality at the highest possible level. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Lacks What's the world coming to? There are many nuances to this story, which is beyond SciFi on one level but true on another. Here's one: imagine the merger of the Smart-Phone and the Petri Dish :-) Seriously. The screen has been morphed into an array of transcriptors, which allows the analog neurons to control the digital switches or the eight processors in the way that only the human mind can do. Of course the HeLa line used for this invention has been doped with the human brain genes of Einstein, or some other genius. (Al's pickled brain is cubed and "available" shall we say). As biocomputers further develop over time and are hybridized with microelectronics - then at some point the prospect of physical immortality will be just too appealing to a very wealthy person, near death. He (or she) will greatly desire to provide a proper receptacle for continued existence at almost any cost (knowing that St. Peter will have probably other ideas for the upcoming accommodations). Steve Jobs would have given this a try, but he was always ahead of his time, so to speak. Gates may go for it, or Ellison for sure. Koch may even have a law on the books demanding it, when his time has come. The "donor" (soul donor, so to speak) will have already had some of his genes "doped" into the HeLa line (if this hasn't happened already in 2013, and I bet it has - for some of the above candidates). From there on, with brain wave analysis, and "rewritten" memories, it could be like upgrading to a new hard disk. The only problem is this, how many the genes be transferred, as well as how much of the distinctive personal information? There are no guarantees and Larry may end-up more like Henrietta than Larry. Oops. The task would presumably be facilitated by having the "bio" part of the machine be configured in such a way that the information "transfer" (real or imaginary) could take place gradually over a few weeks, with proper testing and so forth - after which the "cord" will be cut... or pulled if it is USB :-)... ...several ethical questions remain, like what to do with the old carcass. And what is the cost of immortality? Even at a few billion, it would be MasterCard-priceless ... to most of the Forbes 100. However, Henrietta could have the last say on the success of the immortality project - especially if Aristotle was correct. It is not wise to bet against Ari. Aristotle looked at the "soul" pretty much as we look at DNA - as a physical manifestation of the mature body along with all the imprinted changes over time ... and he was probably correct to some degree. By the time this kind of new "business opportunity" happens (soul-in-a-box), however, HeLa will probably weigh in at about 30 tons of everlasting DNA, and do you really want to mess with that kind of sass? In the spirit of the times, I have a dream (and maybe the plot of a new movie or TV miniseries) involves a zillionaire egomaniac like Larry Ellison and/or a few other prime candidates for purchased immortality, groveling to heaven's gate - but being dissed and humiliated by an angry black woman at the last second. But it's all comedy, you see. Or is it more like Stephen King? The Brave New World may be much further along than we want to imagine... and all of this started either yesterday with a syn-burger or in 1989 with cold fusion or in 1951 with HeLa, or circa 320 BC with Aristotle. I have a dream ... coming to a Theatre near you, real soon now... Jones
<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
