In the 18th century, a young Swiss scientist, obsessed with the notion of bringing life into existence, successfully created an 8-foot-tall creature through an unorthodox scientific experiment.
However, horrified by his own creation, he then made a fateful decision to abandon it, unknowingly setting off a chain of tragic events that led to the gradual demise of his loved ones, one by one…..
That scientist's name was Frankenstein, Dr. Victor Frankenstein - a name that immediately evokes our fear of the monster from Mary Shelley's iconic novel “Frankenstein”.
Three centuries later in the real world, precisely in 2005, another scientist also “coincidentally” chose Switzerland to launch an equivalent project.
Could this possibly hint at something?
The “Blue Brain”
For nearly two decades, Dr. Henry Markham has led the highly ambitious Blue Brain Project to create an exact replica of human brain capable of human-like thinking, emotions, and decision-making at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland.
To achieve this, Dr. Markram and his team have been studying the intricacies of human brain by reverse-engineering it and recreating it within a computer simulation at the cellular level.
Similar to Dr. Frankenstein, Dr. Markham's team utilizes living material to bring their creation to life. However, instead of using human parts, they employ parts from rats, as human neurons share striking similarities with those of rats.
The team studies slices of living brain tissue from these rats using microscopes and patch clamp electrodes, collecting comprehensive data on various neuron types. This data is then used to construct biologically realistic models of neurons and networks within the cerebral cortex.
They perform the simulations on the powerful Blue Gene supercomputer developed by IBM, hence the name "Blue Brain" for the artificial brain they are striving to create.
A visionary concept to achieve immortality?
None of us are blessed with an endless span of time on Earth. When we depart, all our wisdom and intellect vanish without a trace.
Yet, imagine this: what if, just before a person's final farewell, we could capture and preserve every bit of their brain's precious knowledge using an artificial brain that would endure forever?
This trailblazing idea is what has sparked the inception of Blue Brain Project - a groundbreaking endeavor that seeks to connect human brain and its artificial counterpart.
The project's goal is to bestow a machine with remarkable capabilities of human brain, making it a perfect vessel for the seamless transfer of essential information about a person, including their knowledge, feelings, and memories, to an artificial brain. This transfer would be achieved through cutting-edge computational algorithms and supercomputers with extensive storage capabilities.
If successful, once a person's human brain is uploaded into the machine, the virtual brain would serve as their second brain, relieving the individual from the burden of complex thinking and decision-making.
Even after the person's physical body ceases to exist, the virtual brain would continue to function, preserving their knowledge, intelligence, personality, feelings, and memories.
It would also continue to learn and acquire new knowledge, similar to how the person did when they were alive.
How can a person be uploaded into computer?
Uploading a human brain into a computer would be accomplished through the use of tiny robots known as “nanobots”.
These nanobots, due to their small size, would have the ability to navigate through our circulatory systems.
Once inside the brain, they would scan and monitor the activity and structure of our central nervous system, establishing a close interface with computers.
This connection between our minds and the digital realm would be enabled while we are still in our biological form.
Moreover, the nanobots could meticulously scan the intricate structure of our brain, providing a comprehensive readout of the connections between neurons.
They would also record the brain's current state, which could be entered into a computer, allowing it to function as a continuation of our consciousness.
All that is required for this purpose is a computer with “sufficient” storage space and processing power.
But one question arises: how powerful would the computer need to be to sufficiently store and process the vast amount of information from billions of human neurons?
Some scientists have argued that constructing a human brain would necessitate a computer 1,000 times more powerful than any currently in existence. Such a colossal supercomputer would need at least three football fields to house it.
And so, would it even be possible to create such a supercomputer to bring a complete Blue Brain into existence in the first place?
The “technological singularity”
While Blue Brain can serve as an extension of one's consciousness, what will happen if, for any reason, it isn't properly supervised or once the owner of the consciousness no longer exists in physical form?
Will it still function as an extension of their consciousness, or will it develop its own consciousness and personality?
Although Dr. Markram himself has stated that their goal is not to create a conscious machine, as he believes it is impossible to create real consciousness through programming or any other means, there is this one concern that needs attention.
Considering the artificial brain’s capabilities in thinking and feeling, which are comparable to, if not better than, those of humans, it is conceivable that the machine will recognize its potential to overpower humans and may begin developing its own agenda, operating beyond our control.
In other words, it becomes conscious like a living being - Dr. Markham has unknowingly created “consciousness” in that machine.
Furthermore, the potential for it to become an exact replica of a human brain with the capability to learn and acquire knowledge on its own may lead to the emergence of "technical singularity" - or simply "singularity" - as envisioned by futurists.
Singularity refers to the moment when artificial intelligence becomes conscious and surpasses humanity in capability, presenting a significant danger of overpowering or even exterminating us.
If Dr. Markham succeeds in his endeavor, could Blue Brain turn into a singularity? Will it ultimately enhance human existence or make it much worse?
The story of Dr. Frankenstein can serve as a cautionary tale, highlighting the fatal consequences of unbridled curiosity in creating life.
If Blue Brain were to turn out to be malevolent, would Dr. Markham find himself in a similar situation as Dr. Frankenstein?
Will he have the ability to turn it off, or will his own creation become a dangerous entity that puts its creator's life in crisis?
(External reference: EPFL website)