Truly Bad Films

Monday, October 24, 2005

One Neuron Per Person Please

A recent study, reported in Scientific American, found that a single neuron can be responsible for recognition of a person or a building. Yes, Virginia, there really is a Jennifer Aniston neuron. And a Halle Berry neuron. And, one supposes, a George W. neuron.

They found that if a neuron responds to a photo of Halle Berry, it will also respond to a drawing of her, and even the letters spelling H-A-L-L-E B-E-R-R-Y. How's that for freaky? The "Halle Berry" neuron is incredibly specialized about every abstract permutation of that individual. And the same happens with your "Grandma" neuron. But if your Grandma neuron gets whacked, you won't know your Granny any more.

Pretty interesting in terms of brain diseases like Alzheimer's. And even more fun to reflect on in terms of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I can imagine a time in the future where in-home Beauty Parlors offer to stifle painful 'rons for you. Betty Lou will use the combo hood-hairdryer and neuron-trianglulation-device to set your perm AND pinch that train-wreck of a relationship right out of your head. You'd probably still remember everything the asshole did, but you couldn't say who did it! That would make for some f-ed up fights . . .

3 Comments:

At 4:42 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

wonder if there is a way we can way the nuerons that remind us of all the stupid stuff we did in the past? Ya know...Big Hair and Parachute Pants in the 80's...

 
At 1:21 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

dang, just realized how stupid my above post sounded...it was meant to say "I wonder if there is any way we can whack out the neurons that remind us of the stupid things we had in the past...like in the 80's when we all had big hair and parachute pants...

 
At 7:41 PM, Blogger keithurbanchic said...

hahaha!!! I knew what you meant. I'd whack the accidental afro-perm of 1983. ACK!

 

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