Huge news via Kurzweil
AI :
Harvard
scientists have manipulated stem cells already present in the brains of mice
to induce the birth of new neurons, an advance once considered impossible
by most scientists.They induced the birth of new cells by killing nearby neurons in mice, which
set off a cascade of events that led to stem cells, producing new neurons
in the cerebral cortex. If scientists can turn this into a therapy for humans,
it would mean that patients could literally heal themselves with stem cells
already present in their brains.
This development holds incredible promise for the treatment of any number of
degenerative diseases, not to mention brain damage caused by accidents or other
trauma. Excellent news! Moreover, we can add this to the arsenal of brain
enhancements that might soon be avilable.
Interestingly, neither the editors at Kurzweil nor the author of the original
Wired piece have the guts to speculate as to how this development impacts the
possibility of one day producing a super-intelligent
mouse.
For the record: it makes it much more likely.