Alysson Muotri's laboratory gathers a few stem cells into a petri dish, feeds them with just enough blood so they can survive without growing too large (multiplying cells) into a more complex organ. He has also optimized the way its connections are constructed, enhancing this mini-brain's efficiency. After giving it time to to mature, which not coincidentally takes nine months, he teaches it what it should be doing, like operating a mechanical vehicle.
Why is brazilian Muotri playing mad scientist? Because he can observe and learn from brain behavior without opening somebody's skull. He can also induce mental illnesses to these brains, such as autism and Rett syndrome, then fiddle around until he can fix it. He seems to have increasing success with Rett syndrome. Even though it has good intentions, so did the research that eventually led to nuclear bombs. Science can be a tool for better or for worse.
While his research has already entered uncharted ethics territory, one can only imagine the terrors that will eventually lie within private institutions in the future. None of us ever want to believe the darkness going on where money and corruption can cover up the most ingenious and macabre military creations, or even pet projects, from which the Covid-19 could allegedly not be too far off as a lab weapon, if it is true that it's a fear mongering tool to break down economies while murdering a few people in the process.
What will we eventually see from a project like this? While it may not come from the same people, scientifically enhanced humans or even isolated brains providing for organic decision making are not too far off from my expectations. As our civilization's technology evolves, we get closer and closer to the most frightening sci-fi horrors. Specially behind a few curtains. As if FBI's MKUltra turning out to be real wasn't bad enough.
However, due to the (not ethical) nature of Alysson Muotri's research, it wouldn't be surprising if he was involved with (not ethical) people who wanted him to claim how the coronavirus can damage the brain as if it contracted multiple sclerosis. When so many people are selling themselves out to announce things like "climate change is a hoax", one has to doubt a famous person's true motives. We are in a dark age where we have to fight disinformation.
!BEER
for you
View or trade
BEER
.Hey @felipejoys, here is a little bit of
BEER
from @eii for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER
.