Imagine sitting across the desk from your boss for reconciliation, except your boss is a mere brain floating in a dish. Sounds far-fetched? Think again. Science continues to prove that anything is possible.
In 2013, the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA) grew mini-brains that formed brain regions with meninges, cerebral cortexes, choroid plexus, and retinas (Medical Press, 2013).
At University Hospital Düsseldorf in Germany, scientists grew human brains that sprouted functional eyes, capable of processing light and sending brain wave patterns of information to the brain (LifeNews.Com, 2021).
Goodyer (2022) highlights how scientists took embryonic cells from a mouse brain and combined them with a human brain to create DishBrain, a collaboration of Petri-dish cells with enough intelligence to play the game, Pong. Woodyatt (2022) states that Pong was the first game developed in the computer world of learning and provided a simplistic game for DishBrain.
Imagine the possibilities as science develops functioning brains in the lab. What if your brain was degenerating, will science eventually replace it with a new one, yet would you still be you?
Suddenly, the Star Wars clone army seems more of a possibility. What if governments grew highly controlled brains and placed them in clones? They could craft a military of highly aggressive fighters with whom they could have ultimate control.
How should you feel about this emerging technology? On the one hand, it could revolutionize the health field, yet on the other end, what ethical considerations will it open? As we create viable living organisms in Petri dishes, what constitutes life? As science continues to amaze us, it also leaves many unanswered questions.
Pinky: Gee, Brain. What are we going to do tonight?
The Brain: The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world.
(Quotes Gram, n.d.).
References:
Goodyer, J. (2022). Scientists teach brain cells in a Petri dish to play Pong, next they plan to get them drunk. BBC Science Focus. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2724019350?accountid=147674&parentSessionId=Ra2Zkd63uejOiD82UB%2FheeNQSnV5JNbyCCsxm7AJjWA%3D&pq-origsite=primo
LifeNews.Com. (2021). Scientists are Growing Human Brains in Labs, One Brain Spontaneously Grew Eyes. LifeNews.Com. https://www.lifenews.com/2021/08/19/scientists-are-growing-human-brains-in-labs-one-brain-spontaneously-grew-eyes/
Medical Press (2013). Brains on demand: Scientists succeed in growing human brain tissue in 'test tubes'. Medical Press. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-08-brains-demand-scientists-human-brain.html
Quotes Gram (n.d.) Pinky and the Brain quotes. Quotes Gram. https://quotesgram.com/pinky-and-the-brain-tv-series-quotes/#:~:text=Pinky%20and%20the%20Brain%20Quotes.%20Pinky%3A%20Oh%2C%20try,have%20had%20a%20field%20day%20with%20you%2C%20Pinky.
Woodyatt, A (2022). Brain cells in a dish played video game Pong, scientists say. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/13/world/brain-cells-pong-intl-scli-scn/index.html
