The " Breakthrough " Age !

It sounds like we are on the brink of being able to bring people back from death !  Scientists at Yale University managed to revive a pigs brain four hours after it was removed from its body and tests indicated that it had regained its " thinking " process.

Now scientists at the University of California have developed the ability to read brainwaves and make the transfer to spoken speech.  This breakthrough uses artificial intelligence to provide a link " reading " the instructions the brain gives to activate the mouth, tongue and nerves to articulate words. A second artificial intelligence unit then worked out how the brain signalled the mouth and throat to shape this into spoken words.  The result is coherent sentences which scientists expect to improve further as testing proceeds.

Work is underway at the University of Melbourne to connect this brain connectivity to computers. It is hoped that the day is fast coming when those who have suffered complete paralysis or have suffered crippling injury to the throat and vocal chords may regain the power of speech through a combination of both artificial intelligence and computer power.

It also seems likely to stimulate new interest in freezing the human body in liquid nitrogen with the intent of revival when science makes that possible.  The concept of brain revival is likely to see  a cost reduction where only the brain is involved.   It seems inevitable that these experiments will quickly be applied to the human brain now these breakthroughs have been achieved.

It also seems to open new frontiers for the exploration of space and other planets.  One of the conundrums of space travel was the need to sustain humans during the long journey to reach distant stars. The nourishment for a human brain is far less than the needs for a human body and a brain connected to a computer would be quite capable of controlling the working operations of whatever craft took humankind to space.  Nourishing a brain with chemicals would also take care of the need to grow food in a distant space colony.

Unfortunately, as a species we humans are fast approaching the limits in which this planet is able to feed our ever growing numbers and our wasteful habits are causing a deterioration in both air quality and climate.  No doubt the science fiction writers will discern how the progress of science may be used to protect those with both power and wealth from the ravages we seem intent on inflicting on this planet.

Whether this advance of knowledge proves a benefit or increases the risk to human existence is something the history books will record.