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Brain Cells Share Information with Virus-Like Capsules

theatlantic.com

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Re: Brain Cells Share Information with Virus-Like Capsules

#11

Post by z3t4 »

stdgy wrote: post #10

I find biology to be endlessly fascinating. I know this is terribly off-topic but, if you enjoy learning about this kind of information, I'd highly recommend 'The Gene: An Intimate History.' It's a lovely read that brings you from before Mendel up to the brink of modern genetics. I'd like to hear any other book recommendations people may have related to this topic.

I find everything not made by humans to be completely random. Given unlimited space and eternal time everything is possible.

Re: Brain Cells Share Information with Virus-Like Capsules

#13

Post by [deleted] »

ohtwenty wrote: post #2

disclaimer: only read the abstract. The original paper, linked in the article mentions the mRNA messaging. Intuitively that roughly makes sense -- other cells might have the luxury of being able to directly talk to each other, through physical contact or proximity, but with neurons that is made more difficult due to the possibility of extending electric signals. So carrying information through mRNA might work, but I…

[deleted]

Re: Brain Cells Share Information with Virus-Like Capsules

#14

Post by rcthompson »

ohtwenty wrote: post #2

disclaimer: only read the abstract. The original paper, linked in the article mentions the mRNA messaging. Intuitively that roughly makes sense -- other cells might have the luxury of being able to directly talk to each other, through physical contact or proximity, but with neurons that is made more difficult due to the possibility of extending electric signals. So carrying information through mRNA might work, but I…

There's no fundamental reason. I expect it was just chance that mRNA evolved as the messenger for this signal. One possibility is that an mRNA signal can be amplified on the receiving end with only basic cell machinery, whereas a protein it other messenger generally requires a dedicated receptor to transduce the signal.

Re: Brain Cells Share Information with Virus-Like Capsules

#16

Post by zghst »

seannyg wrote: post #15

Maybe this is one reason we haven't become more resistant to viruses? Because we actually need to use them, or something like them, to learn?

What I read from the ya thatvwe inherited certain processes from viruses which they use to infiltrate us, hundreds of millions of years later.

Re: Brain Cells Share Information with Virus-Like Capsules

#17

Post by ajb »

rcthompson wrote: post #12
ajb wrote: post #9

Never underestimate the bandwidth of a virus full of RNA.

I guess this is the biological equivalent of mailing hard disk.

Yup. For the benefit of anyone who didn't hear of the original quote yet: "Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway" (Andrew Tannenbaum)

Re: Brain Cells Share Information with Virus-Like Capsules

#19

Post by jboggan »

This gets towards an answer to the question I've always posed to computer scientists seeking to emulate brain function in a program: what is the basic unit of memory?

When you drill down to the fundamentals of computer science you get to the bit; all complex data is essentially a representation on top of bits. I've always wondered what the quantum of human memory is though. What's the smallest thing that you can remember?

I always think about this because my living memories are rich-media with sound and sight and smell and feel. I suppose facts can be a smaller bit of memory, but how is that actually encoded? Maybe we'll know in our lifetimes, maybe not.

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