Slashdot Mirror
Xeroxed Gene May Have Paved the Way For Large Human Brain
sciencehabit writes Last week, researchers expanded the size of the mouse brain by giving rodents a piece of human DNA. Now another team has topped that feat, pinpointing a human gene that not only grows the mouse brain but also gives it the distinctive folds found in primate brains. The work suggests that scientists are finally beginning to unravel some of the evolutionary steps that boosted the cognitive powers of our species. "This study represents a major milestone in our understanding of the developmental emergence of human uniqueness," says Victor Borrell Franco, a neurobiologist at the Institute of Neurosciences in Alicante, Spain, who was not involved with the work.
On Algernons grave
-Charlie
... will finally take over the world.
It's a bugger when the species you genetically engineered to solve complex mathematical equations starts experimenting on your brain.
Look, I'm all about the advancement of science and human knowledge, but this feels like the neurobiological version of "Hold my beer and watch this." I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time, science people, but when our new rodent masters (who I, of course, welcome) enslave the human race and bring about Planet of the Apes: Mickey Mouse Edition maybe you'll be a bit more careful next time.
I don't care for this new UI. What I really don't care for though, is the increase in cross-site javascript. I've been using Slashdot since it had no client-side scripting, and it worked just fine without any javascript at all.
I think that Slashdot/Dice is telling me that it's time to get off the computer and go out and live my life in the real world again. Perhaps I should listen.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
The "Reply to This" button and the end of the comments are mashing together. So now beta is beta, but original is the new alpha?
Xeroxing has become a seriously anachronistic term. Believe it or not, the target audience does know words like "duplicate" or "copy", but younger generations exposure to the "Xerox" company is very limited. Let that word die please.
You mean photocopied or something having to do with a registered trademark? Why not simply "Copied".
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
Yes, it's really so hard to believe.
Denisova hominins and Neandertals are distinct, and separate from Homo Erectus. As well as Homo Sapiens.
You should stop talking about anything related to this in public, or risk extreme mocking.
How did we get from nothing to lower primates? I would posit that this is where the magic happened. Primates to humans was largely a bit of chance, but it could be easily replicated given many many years from tool inventing primates.
Well you should be congratulated on your omniscience... I'm sure it was well earned.
It would be more interesting to do it with a larger animal with a bigger brain. Could you raise an elephant that was smarter than people?
*Pauses, looks at Congress.*
Never mind. Already there.