Brain in a Dish Flies Plane

Discovery News ^ | OCT 22-2004 | By Jennifer Viegas

[theFIRMbss]

>Brain in a Dish Flies Plane

[Cloud William]

It is the Greatest of the Holies. Also, I still don't believe that the E Plebnista applies to the Coms. They are only for killing, despite what the one-named-Kirk said. :-)

[LouisWu]

Herbert! Herbert!

Don't listen to the grups.

[DannyTN]

Yes Pinky, once they hook our brains to the internet, we will take over the world!!!!!

[freedumb2003]

Damn!

[citizen]

We have here a terrorist rat cell brain -- it can fly the plane but can't take off or land it. Look out NYC.

[Dunstan McShane]

The minute I read this article, I thought of Cordwainer Smith's bizarre science fiction future in which the brains of animals (including, I believe, those of rats) are used as computers.

I'll admit there's something seasonally Frankensteinian about that article.

[Shryke]

Very cool science ping.

All your rat brains are belong to F-22s that are supercruise/Møøsë.

[tophat9000]

Yea all we need is Kerry now to see the error of his left wing ways

..... "That! was the equation...existent cancels out programing!"

[pabianice]

I thought the USAF had been using these aircrew for years...8*)

[Age of Reason]

I thought of something similar, years ago.

Only I envisioned using an ant colony.

Data from a mechanical device outside the colony, would be transmitted to the colony via light flashes or vibrations or whatever kind of "media" the ants like to "read"--then if they react properly, they would be rewarded--if not, punished!

Their reaction would be monitored by photo cells, which would send signals to the mechanical arm.

I also thought of attempting to communicate with ants by using a similar set up--but instead of feeding the information to and from a mechanical arm, I owuld feed it ot a computer in instead.

The computer would then become a neo-cortex for the entire ant colony.

That is, the ants would supply the "emotion" (functioning as the computer's limbic system, and the computer would function as the neo-cortex).

The user (me) would then type messages to the ants, which they would learn to read.

Am I kidding? Well, half kidding.

(Hey Art Bell--I'm available cheap for an interview!)

[jimt]

"That Hideous Strength" by C.S. Lewis.

[walford]

Yes, but can it land?

An old aviator's axiom: Take off is optional; Landding is mandatory.


I'll bet 50,000 Kwatloos that the mouse brain bombs the UN.


Brain and brain, what is brain?

[Darksheare]

NOT my fault!

[bill1952]

So THATS how the Kerry campaign is being run!

[Flux Capacitor]

[bobsatwork]

This sounds like another US Airways cost cutting measure.

[Billthedrill]

I have known pilots with a similar personality.

[PatrickHenry]

Very cool science ping.

Coulda been a contender. All wucked up now.

[Smokin' Joe]

Coming soon to an Exterminator near you (rat-brained kamikaze alert!)