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Data Stored in Live Neurons
Light Licker writes "Israeli researchers have created artificial memories for the first time — in a tangle of neurons growing in the lab. Using a specific chemical they could add to the pattern of impulses in a network of the nerve cells. 'Many believe that complex patterns of neuronal firing are templates for memory, which the brain uses when storing information. Imprinting such "memories" on artificial neural networks provides a potential way to develop cyborg chips, says Ben-Jacob. These would be useful for monitoring biological systems like the brain and blood since, being human, they would respond to the same chemicals.' The new pattern lasted two days — good enough for biological RAM?"
Yes and no. Individual improvements tend to be incremental because everyone wants to get a lot of stuff published (this applies to about all of science nowadays). On the other hand, there still are the occasional breakthroughs, and overall the field is moving fairly rapidly. The research tends to sound really interesting, which leads to "hype" when the news agencies attempt to translate the messages in publications for the general public. The papers themselves (and papers in general, really) tend to be cautiously optimistic, citing potential problems, limitations, and improvements for the research in the conclusion.