| |
| |
|
Science Information |
|
|
|
The Bill Clinton Neuron And The Sweat Neuron
In the world of science, there is excited speculation about recent discoveries of individual neurons in the brain, with striking capabilities. They had discovered a neuron, which fired on recognition of just one special face. Scientists spotted this using microelectrodes, which could identify the firing of a single neuron. Buried deep in the amygdala of a female patient, they discovered the so-called "Bill Clinton" neuron. The cell fired on recognizing three very different images of the former President; a line drawing of a laughing Clinton; a formal painting depicting him; and a photograph of him in a crowd. The cell remained mute when the patient viewed images of other politicians and celebrities. In other patients, scientists found similar cells that responded selectively to actors, including Jennifer Anniston, Brad Pitt, and Halle Berry. Most neuroscientists had believed that specific nerve cells handled individual pixels as on a television screen. Suddenly, a single neuron could identify Clinton. Could there be a "thinking neuron?" Scientists felt it impossible for an individual cell to be clever enough to make sense of a concept as subtle as Clinton. Even the world's fastest supercomputers would have difficulty performing that pattern-recognition feat. So, how could a single neuron ever learn to recognize a President? Such speculation on the nature of neurons continued ceaselessly in scientific circles. This was surprising. How could scientists remain blind to the significance of the Nobel Prize awarded in 2004 to Lynda Buck for the discovery of the recognition processes in the olfactory system? There, Buck had already reported a "Sweat" neuron and an "Orange" neuron. Those experiments concerned the recognition of smells. She reported that octanol smelled like oranges and octanoic acid, like sweat, even though their chemical structures were similar. Yet, different neurons fired for each smell. Was this just more evidence of thinking neurons? Yet, Buck had a simple explanation. The olfactory system recognized different combinations of firing for different odors. First, a single receptor recognized multiple odorants. Second, a single odorant was recognized by multiple receptors. And third, different odorants were recognized by different combinations of receptors. It was this combinatorial coding system, which enabled the olfactory system to recognize millions of odors. So, there were Sweat neurons, Rose neurons and Orange neurons. And millions more. Could it be that Clinton and Berry neurons were no different? Was it only the olfactory system, which used combinatorial coding? The mind received kaleidoscopic combinations of millions of sensations. Could instant combinatorial recognition extended beyond the olfactory system? Could it be the essence of the neural system? A new book, The Intuitive Algorithm, suggested just this. The mind used combinatorial coding and pattern recognition to propel recognition through many neural regions like a lightning streak. The mind saw, recognized, interpreted and acted. Data was reported to move from input to output in a bare 20 milliseconds. In the blink of eye. Myriad processes converted light, sound, touch and smell instantly into your nerve impulses. Special regions recognized those combinations as objects and events. The limbic system, another region, interpreted those events to generate emotions. A fourth region responded to those emotions with actions. The mind perceived, identified, evaluated and acted. Pattern recognition and combinatorial coding got you off the hot stove in a fraction of a second. Abraham Thomas is the author of The Intuitive Algorithm, a book, which suggests that intuition is a pattern recognition algorithm. This leads to an understanding of the powerful forces that control your mind. The ebook version is available at http://www.intuition.co.in. The book may be purchased only in India. The website, provides a free movie and a walk through to explain the ideas.
MORE RESOURCES:
Science - Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Secrets of The Mathematical Symmetry of Nature and Patterns of Erosion As scientists and theorists study patterns, design, chaos, complexity they often turn to nature for examples and there is plenty of examples in nature too. The stripes on a zebra, patterns on a butterfly, spider webs, leafs on a tree, scales on a fish, seashells, brain waves, muscle structure, texture of granite, spider webs, Earth cycles, waves on the ocean, wind flow, clouds in the sky, Rainbows, Solar System, structure of a meteorite and even DNA itself. Movin On: Taking Transhumanism in Stride Back in the seventies, we watched "The Six Million Dollar Man", a popular television show about a trained agent who was critically injured and given the gift of technology--bionic legs and super vision.Lee Majors portrayed a man capable of leaping tall buildings and scanning the landscape at night. Issues with Aerial Fire Fighting A few years ago I visited the Wyoming Contractor, which used WWII aircraft to fight such fires. I was amazed that such old aircraft were not in museums but rather in flying condition and used for dropping phoschek on fires. Cold Fusion And as I was typing this, I stopped for a while to watch the news and saw that what I wrote just a while ago in terms of human evolution has already become the likely scenario according to the media because of a new skull found in Kenya. A 3. Space Travel - Human Innate Bonding to ELF - Extremely Low Frequencies of Planet Earth Human innate bonding to ELF - Extremely Low Frequencies of planet Earth will be a problem in space travel for the future. How do we know this? We know because insanity seems to very often coincide with mental illness. Electromagnetism, The Universe, And You An electric current produces a magnetic field. This is the principle of the electric motor - varying electric currents moving along wires make magnets with drive shafts spin around in circles. Locusts To Help Make Energy From Bio Waste, part IV We are in a Plague year 2004-2005 where the locusts are swarming. No one knows how long this will last, but this problem could rage on for several more years. UAV - Terrain Following Technologies There are many technologies being used today such as ultrasonic sensors, which provide non-contact for solution levels in liquid storage tanks. Using this technology the tanks can use non-corrosive methods to prevent failure of parts. The As Have it ALTERNATE AND PARALLEL UNIVERSES: - The modern science of physics has opened many pathways or doorways to the infinite possibilities of 'creation'. Evolution is not the only operational factor in our life and its purpose. Locusts To Help Make Energy From Bio Waste, part I Plagues of Locusts through out history are well documented. In fact they are even documented back as far as the times of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Lighter Than Air Tubular Flight I propose a lighter than air tubular unmanned mini blimp be designed. Such a craft would have many great applications. Many Sci Fi writers have discussed Earthquake predictions Cal Tech along with the Universities in Japan are on the leading edge of this new technology and it is quickly becoming a reality. Soon we will know months in advance of an expected quake and the precise time maybe known hours or minutes before it actually comes. Aerodynamics of a Flying Disk or Flying Sphere Aerodynamics of a flying sphere. It has been said that in the future we maybe flying around anti-gravity type spheres, but this does not mean it will not have to deal with relative wind in our own atmosphere. MAV Propulsion and Testing Perhaps we should be looking into advancing the propulsion systems of MAVs, small UAVs by using magnetic propulsion to spin the propellers. When testing a UAV by trying to fly it under the canopy of trees or around sparsely populated tree areas or in cities with streets and housing we may find we have difficult issues. Reverse Osmosis and Deionized Water Filtration Let's face it if you are in a business needing de-ionized water or reverse osmosis water you are always concerned about the quality of your water. I know as a mobile detailing business that when we have ultra clean water in our tanks we are a happy camper. The Intricacies of a Compound Microscope Have you ever used a compound microscope? Your first thought may be to answer "no" but chances are if you had Biology in high school or college that you have used a compound microscope. What do you remember about this microscope? You may remember what it looks like but can you recall how it worked? If not, this article is for you!A compound microscope uses light to illuminate the sample or object so that you can see it with your eye. Life Under Mars Ice Shelf? When looking for life on Mars we should be thinking of how life forms on Earth. Not because it will be similar, although it possibly could be, but because we know the things, which inhibit life and the things which help it flourish. Pandemic Crisis Cure Concept What happens if the world is faced with a Pandemic, for which no cure currently exists but one is on the verge of being discovered? Here is a concept, which with the proper protocols could save the human race from near extinction. Human Hibernation. Re-Designing the ICBM With The Latest and Greatest Technology We propose a Stealth Aircraft or non-stealth composite aircraft to have a honey comb structure with an external shell or skin for the diffraction of incoming laser weaponry, which we believe based on the results of the THEL Anti-Missile Defense System success, will be what future enemies will use to attempt to down our US Aircraft. Israel is selling information and weapons to China, Pakistan and other nations. A Tuned Bio-Field and a New Definition of Consciousness: Part 2 Love, pure Love, is the feeling one has when they are appreciating the deep beauty of something in their life i.e.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
