Can scientists transfer animal brains to computers? The answer hinges on how we define “transfer” and “brain.” If we’re a bit flexible in our interpretation, it’s essentially already taking place.
Caenorhabditis elegans are minuscule worms found in soil and decaying plant matter. As multicellular eukaryotes, they technically qualify as animals.
This tiny worm never surpasses 1mm (0.03 inches) in length and is one of the most well-known organisms on Earth.
We have sequenced its genome and mapped all development, encompassing approximately 2,000 cells, including 300 neurons. The variations in this worm are minimal, but what differences do exist have been mapped.
Thus, scientists could model the entire brain on a computer, reproducing not just identical reflex behaviors as found in nature, but even training them to perform new tasks, such as balancing virtual poles (and yes, that’s true).
However, even if we liberally interpret our definitions, this scenario doesn’t entirely hold up.
The C. elegans brain was not uploaded in the conventional sense. Instead, it was replicated using data gathered from years of experiments involving thousands of these worms. There hasn’t been a method to accurately record and transfer the thoughts and memories of an individual creature to a computer.
Many believe brain uploads represent the future of humanity, viewing it as an “inevitable consequence” of advancements in neuroscience and artificial intelligence (AI), potentially leading to the ultimate solution to death.
Nevertheless, several significant challenges must be addressed before this can become a reality.
As our conscious minds are intricately constructed from the cells and chemicals within our skulls and nervous systems, we must find a way to fully interpret our brain states in exquisite detail.
Next, we need to create a software model that can accurately mimic brain behavior at the molecular, or perhaps even atomic, level.
Over a decade ago, scientists demonstrated that it was feasible to identify neurons and their connectivity in meticulously prepared mouse brains. These brains were stained, sliced to 70 nanometers thick, and then reconstructed into a 3D format using a computer. As expected, the mouse did not survive.
This serves as an example of a destructive scan. The methods many suggest as necessary for recording a brain in sufficient detail may lead to its destruction.
As medical imaging technology achieves higher resolutions, some speculate that we could one day scan all cell states non-destructively. However, such scans must be instantaneous; otherwise, parts of your brain could be considering new things before the scan finishes.
Could this be achievable with a recently deceased brain? Scientists indicate that it might be essential to scan the brain while it’s actively functioning to ensure all cells accurately model the intended behavior.
Today’s computers are remarkable, yet even the most optimistic futurists predict we may need a century before we can simulate at the atomic scale required.
Moreover, there’s a final profound question. If you can upload your brain non-destructively in 500 years…what happens next? You would exist in a virtual world as computer software, while the original version of you continues to think in your biological form, likely with a slight headache from the scan.
But if you are still alive, did you genuinely trick death? Clearly not. Instead, you’ve allowed for the creation of virtual duplicates that could be used according to their will. That’s a disconcerting thought.
This article answers the question posed by Darcie Walsh from Preston: “Can scientists upload animal brains to a computer?”
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