Growing a Brain in Switzerland: A network of artificial nerves is growing in a Swiss supercomputer — meant to simulate a natural brain, cell-for-cell. The researchers at work on “Blue Brain” promise new insights into the sources of human consciousness.
It’s just one step closer to Skynet…
“I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
what is skynet?
@rita: Skynet is an artificial intelligence computer network from the Terminator movie series that became self-aware and decided to obliterate humanity from the planet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skynet).
The quote is from the HAL 9000, a self-aware computer from the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” who goes psychotic out of fear of being shut down and attempts to kill the lone remaining crewman left on his ship(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HAL_9000).
@rita: Well, I’m a sci-fi geek too. You’ve seen a lot of stuff that I haven’t. The Terminator movies are fun, especially the first. 2001 is a really weird Stanley Kubrick film – but it’s probably one of those movies everyone should see before they die. Personally, I find the books (2001, 2010, 2061, and 3001 by Arthur C. Clark) to be much better.
@rita: I couldn’t find it in English, but here’s one of the famous scenes from 2001 dubbed in German. The dubbing is done pretty well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecWYNC2RxHs
thanks!
*bustles off to watch*
yeah, i know, i am supposed to be doing other things than messing with the internet…
@rita: Yeah, I do that a lot too. Well, actually, I’m supposed to be messing with other things on the internet, since that’s how I do most of my genealogy research.
ah – 2001: A Space Odyssey – I knew I knew that Dave quote but just couldn’t place it! Would have bugged me all day had I not read your comments…
Great blog by the way, (and yeah, I do find it scary).
Kate. Lovetolead.
@kate: thanks Kate!