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Then the title is slightly misleading. The beam of light is not sufficient for creating the memory, just part of the process. The other thing not mentioned in

Then the title is slightly misleading. The beam of light is not sufficient for creating the memory, just part of the process. The other thing not mentioned in the title is that the mice are either genetically engineered to have neurons that express light sensitive proteins, or have been injected with a virus that makes these neurons sensitive to light.

stephengillie 13y ago
What would it take to make this virus airborne?
- etrautmann 13y ago
  Even if that were possible, and i suspect that it's either not or very hard, you would still need to get a fiber-optic cable through your skull and into your brain. Shining a light into your eyes isn't going to do anything in this context.
charlieflowers 13y ago
No, they actually mentioned that they used a virus to modify the neurons such that they would express the right protein when hit by the correct color of light. The beam of light doesn't create the memory -- it triggers a remembrance of the memory.
Alex3917 13y ago
> Then the title is slightly misleading. The whole story is BS. There is zero evidence that they implanted any sort of memory, let alone a false one. All they've shown is that when the mice encounter situation X, they are afraid because their memories of situation X are associated with fear. Basically it's like how if you have a nightmare about dying in a car crash then you may be afraid of driving the next day, but that doesn't mean that you have a memory of actually dying in a car crash.
- etrautmann 13y ago
  It's certainly not an uninteresting or invalid scientific result, but the interpretations tend to get a little overblown. This is an unfortunately common theme in neuroscience, especially recently.
ballard 13y ago
Captology wikivs laser beams. Both * zomgcopter creepy Captology * Coined at Stanford * Persuasion technology that's "not malevolent" * Doesn't require neurosurgery Laser beams * May cause fire * Almost completely harmless when combined with sharks capable of jumping Adv: laser beams PS: Yeap, the post title is inaccurate link-bait. Plz edit to be more realistic.

stephengillie 13y ago

What would it take to make this virus airborne?

etrautmann 13y ago
Even if that were possible, and i suspect that it's either not or very hard, you would still need to get a fiber-optic cable through your skull and into your brain. Shining a light into your eyes isn't going to do anything in this context.

charlieflowers 13y ago

No, they actually mentioned that they used a virus to modify the neurons such that they would express the right protein when hit by the correct color of light. The beam of light doesn't create the memory -- it triggers a remembrance of the memory.

Alex3917 13y ago

> Then the title is slightly misleading. The whole story is BS. There is zero evidence that they implanted any sort of memory, let alone a false one. All they've shown is that when the mice encounter situation X, they are afraid because their memories of situation X are associated with fear. Basically it's like how if you have a nightmare about dying in a car crash then you may be afraid of driving the next day, but that doesn't mean that you have a memory of actually dying in a car crash.

etrautmann 13y ago
It's certainly not an uninteresting or invalid scientific result, but the interpretations tend to get a little overblown. This is an unfortunately common theme in neuroscience, especially recently.

ballard 13y ago

Captology wikivs laser beams. Both * zomgcopter creepy Captology * Coined at Stanford * Persuasion technology that's "not malevolent" * Doesn't require neurosurgery Laser beams * May cause fire * Almost completely harmless when combined with sharks capable of jumping Adv: laser beams PS: Yeap, the post title is inaccurate link-bait. Plz edit to be more realistic.