Intercontinental Mind-Meld Unites Two Rats

ananyo writes "The brains of two rats on different continents have been made to act in tandem. When the first, in Brazil, uses its whiskers to choose between two stimuli, an implant records its brain activity and signals to a similar device in the brain of a rat in the United States. The U.S. rat then usually makes the same choice on the same task. Miguel Nicolelis, a neuroscientist at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, says that this system allows one rat to use the senses of another, incorporating information from its far-away partner into its own representation of the world. 'It's not telepathy. It's not the Borg,' he says. 'But we created a new central nervous system made of two brains.' Nicolelis says that the work, published today, is the first step towards constructing an organic computer that uses networks of linked animal brains to solve tasks. But other scientists who work on neural implants are skeptical."

Rat Wireheading

[lazarus]

I notice they do not include a picture of the wireheaded rats (only an artists impression). Probably wise. While I for one believe that the advancement of science to be the greatest height to which a rat could aspire, I have a feeling that others (and possibly the rats) do not feel the same way.

Re:I for one...

[camperdave]

I for one refuse to issue the standard obligatory decades old Simpson's joke that typically accompanies a story like this one.

... out of respect to our cyber-enhanced rat overlords.

International flame-bait

[Master Moose]

And I thought Brazil and the United States belonged to the same continent...

Yea, that can happen when you sleep through geography.

Or take Geography at a U.S. school.

Re:Intercontinental?

[guantamanera]

Depends where you go to school. In Mexico 6 continents. They ignore Antartica sometimes they will say 5 Then I moved to finland, and they count 6. From there we went to czech republic also 6 continents. Then highschool 10th grade in USA they counted 7 continents. I also noticed that refering to a USAian as american is mostly an anglophone thing. While traveling through Europe I could say I am an Amererican, and they knew I was not referring to USA. And it probably was because I do not have a north american english accent or I could speak the local language. And canadians they're are americans they just hate getting confused with their southern neighbour. Even if you say they're From North America they still end up being americans from the north. I took some english classes, studied 1 year in USA and here is how I interpret the name United States of America with my limited english. the key is in the word "OF" a proposition I believe. It says the These united states belong to america. It does not say They are America. Is like saying "the united union of kentucky", "the sons of Carl", "the many cars of Mike" For the name to actually mean the name of the country is America it would have to say it something like this. United American States. Now this would imply they are american and not just belong to. Funny thing is 99% of USAians don't know where the name come from. When you ask they usually end up saying it means freedom or something like that.