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Tuesday, 9 January 2024

Couldn't resist this one either

 



'Minibrains' grown by scientists ignite ethical questions

Lab-grown blobs of human brain tissue are signalling in a new era of scientific discovery. An era that's bringing about a lot of ethical questions.

These blobs, also known as "minibrains" colloquially and brain organoids scientifically, serve as simplified models of full-sized human brains. They have the possibility to be useful in basic research, drug development and even computer science.

However, as the organoids become more sophisticated, there's a question as to whether they could ever become too similar to human brains and thus gain some form of consciousness.

4 comments:

Sam Vega said...

You try making up promises that can be plausibly denied, scouring the zeitgeist for the latest fads, arguing your way out of criticism, mortgage-flipping, expenses-fiddling, brown-nosing, cultivating post retirement quangos, and appearing on TV. It's not a job for the unintelligent, AKH.

A K Haart said...

Sam - you are right, I couldn't do it. Ignominious failure is baked into the way they play the game, but with some exceptions they lack the wit to play it any other way, or at least get rid of those who bring the game into disrepute.

Bucko said...

"and even computer science."
I can see it now. You want to download a bit of porn, but your computer tells you it has a headache

A K Haart said...

Bucko - bound to come too.