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Scientist to Implant Electrode in His Own Brain?

BartlebyScrivener writes to tell us the MIT Technology Review is reporting that even thought scientists know quite a bit about the brain, one researcher is trying to take it a step further towards understanding consciousness by implanting an electrode in his own brain. From the article: "Bill Newsome, a neuroscientist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, has spent the last twenty years studying how neurons encode information and how they use it to make decisions about the world. In the 1990s, he and collaborators were able to change the way a monkey responded to its environment by sending electric jolts to certain parts of its brain. The findings gave neuroscientists enormous insight into the inner workings of the brain."

14 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. Awesome, by IDontAgreeWithYou · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've been looking for a remote controlled neuroscientist for years!!!

    --
    Finding other idiots on /. that agree with your opinion doesn't make it any less stupid.
  2. Darwin award? by slavemowgli · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hmm, I wonder how likely it is that he'll end up with a Darwin award...

    --
    quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
  3. Monkeys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    n the 1990s, he and collaborators were able to change the way a monkey responded to its environment by sending electric jolts to certain parts of its brain.

    Hey, I can get a monkey to respond differently to its environment by sending electric shocks to any part of its anatomy, why go to the bother of wiring up its brain directly.

    1. Re:Monkeys by hkgroove · · Score: 5, Funny

      The lines between this article and The Far Side are getting pretty blurry.

    2. Re:Monkeys by halltk1983 · · Score: 5, Funny

      We have enough studies already on the differences between women and men...

      --
      Watch for Penguins, they eat Apples and throw rocks at Windows.
    3. Re:Monkeys by Mr.+Bad+Example · · Score: 5, Funny

      > Hey, I can get a monkey to respond differently to its environment by sending electric shocks to any part of its anatomy,

      Or as scientists call it, the Peter Gabriel Principle.

  4. Ghostbusters reference by Psykechan · · Score: 4, Funny

    That would have worked if you hadn't stopped me.

  5. Farnsworth Parabox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Taking the brain out was the easy part. The hard part was taking the brain out.

  6. We need to be careful by amstrad · · Score: 5, Funny

    I mean, what will happen when the implant is turned on and the neuroscientist becomes self-aware?

    1. Re:We need to be careful by Mr.+Bad+Example · · Score: 4, Funny

      > I mean, what will happen when the implant is turned on and the neuroscientist becomes self-aware?

      I'm guessing something along the lines of "Holy SHIT--I put a what in where?"

  7. And from this we have come to the conclusion... by flickwipe · · Score: 5, Funny

    "In the 1990s, he and collaborators were able to change the way a monkey responded to its environment by sending electric jolts to certain parts of its brain. The findings gave neuroscientists enormous insight into the inner workings of the brain."

    And from this we have come to the conclusion that the monkey really hated it

  8. Re:Hardcore. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    there are no nerves in the brain

    Speak for yourself, buddy...

    (I think you mean there are no sensory nerves...)

  9. Interesting, but not really news. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 4, Funny

    The article is full of how he wants to do it, but would probably have trouble getting approval and so on. If this is news, alert the media that one day I "want" to fly around in a jetpack while robot slaves do all my work and it rains Kool-Aid.

  10. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion