Discover how spectral geometry, fractal neuroscience, and AI combine to model cognitive phase transitions and the evolution of symbolic intelligence.
Category: neuroscience – Page 60
Brain Abnormality in Modern Humans Linked to Ancient Neanderthal DNA
Significant brain defects known as Chiari malformations could be down the genes some of us have inherited from Neanderthals, according to a new study, causing a mismatch between brain shape and skull shape.
The study focuses on Chiari malformation type I (CM-I), where the lower part of the brain extends too far into the spinal cord – typically linked to having a smaller-than-normal occipital bone at the back of the skull. It can lead to headaches, neck pain, and more serious conditions, and is thought to affect up to 1 in 100 people.
Several other ancient human species had different skull shapes to our own, and a previous study published in 2013 put forward the idea that interbreeding between Homo sapiens and these other hominins may be a root cause of Chiari malformation type I (CM-I), the mildest type of the group.
Can we upload consciousness to computers? | Pigliucci, Yampolskiy, Sandberg, Dijkstra
Massimo Pigliucci, Roman Yampolskiy, Anders Sandberg, and Nadine Dijkstra discuss the latest developments in neuroscience and computer programming.
Can we upload our minds to computers?
With a free trial, you can watch the full debate NOW at https://iai.tv/video/consciousness-in-the-clouds?utm_source=…escription.
The idea of uploading our minds to the digital cloud has not only been taken seriously by Silicon Valley, but turned into a detailed business plan. Elon Musk claims digitising consciousness will revolutionise humanity, and the industry is estimated to be worth $50 billion by 2030. But it’s unknown whether, in principle, we can replicate minds with computer code, or whether we should seek to do so. Critics argue we have no idea how a machine could create consciousness, and neuroscientists have yet to provide an explanation for how the brain does so. A survey of specialists by Nature found the majority thought it unlikely AI would achieve consciousness anytime soon.
Should we see talk of uploading our minds to the cloud as implausible tech marketing nonsense? Should we conclude that if thought and consciousness are unobservable, it will not be possible to replicate the mind with silicon chips? Or is digital immortality such a profound and important sea change in our lives and potential that we should pursue it at all costs?
#consciousness #ai #artificialintelligence #elonmusk #neuralink #neuroscience.
