I have recently read an interesting article about this huge discovery:
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-biologists-transfer-a-memory
It is about transfering memory between marine snails by injecting RNA from one to another.
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-biologists-transfer-a-memory
It is about transfering memory between marine snails by injecting RNA from one to another.
The specific description of the method used in this research is presented in the mentioned article. To encourage You all to read the article I just say that scientists took some of the RNA from the snails which received small electric shocks and placed it to other snails. Then these other snails – while tapped - reacted almost just like the first ones, even though they weren’t given the shocks at all!
Such discovery is incredibly important – further researches may focus on transfering other parts of the RNA which in fact can be equal with transfering the memories. It can be priceless in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, where the main cure is bringing back lost memories. It will also hugely help people with PTSD – with altering traumatic memories with the new ones.
What is even more interesting, similar invention was described in the novel called „We can remember it for you wholesale” by Phillip K. Dick and in the movie (based on that novel) called „Total recall”. Like I wrote few weeks ago, commented on one of the articles – science-fiction writers predicted a lot of nowadays discoveries.
Here I have some questions for You:
1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteThere are multiple movies that involve some type of digital screen or mobile device, even though many of them predate the smartphone. For decades, films were way ahead of their time and some of them shown the tablet. The original source of the idea was Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
2. Do you think that memory transfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
I think if it really works it would be great to use is for scientific reasons. Transferring knowledge of teachers to pupils, or from really amazing scientists, businessman, engineers and so on. Of course entertainment would be another area that it might be used.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
As I mentioned, for me, above all, the transfer of knowledge from outstanding people, if it would be easier to take all the knowledge just for the help of injection or pills, instead of bothering with years from scratch.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
As usual there will always be some bad usages. Privacy violation, using terrorist memories and knowledge. Thieves, burglars and this type of actions.
I agree that it will be a great idea - transfering knowledge from one person to another, which can make possible to start working on some invention from where another scientist ended his work, and not start again from the beginning.
DeleteThank you for an interesting article. Woody Allen directed the comedy "Sleeper" in 1973, which can be classified as a science fiction movie. The action takes place in the XXII century. The main character is played by Allen Miles Monroe, who wakes up after 200 years of hibernation. Among futuristic predictions as for those times such asautonomous cars and video calls .The emergence of methods of memory transfer shows a very advanced development of science. Such solutions will certainly find a lot of applications, however, it is currently difficult to predict whether this will have no negative effects on the physical and mental health of peopleusing such treatments.
ReplyDeleteThank You for Your comment, I haven't seen this movie yet, but I am looking forward to catch up on that!
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteI don’t like watching a science-fiction movies but I remember the movie “Back to the Future” which presents some of the inventions that already exist, for example: a flying skateboard or a voice-controlled TV.
2. Do you think that memory transfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
If it is possible at all, I suspect that entertainment will be the last area that will benefit from this solution. Somehow I do not see here the possibility of using it in entertainment...
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
I agree with Cezary that transferring knowledge or skills would be very useful. Besides, I see the potential in resocializing prisoners and in psychology (helping people with personality problems).
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
Yes, there will be something for sure. I come to the head of improper use by the authorities or criminals, stealing someone's memories or private data.
As You mentioned the movie "Back to the future", have You seen "flying board" by Zapata, which is now in the phase of examination?
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteOf course! Smartwatch which James Bond have in his equipment (with many other function that nowadays), Virtual Reality helmet but my favourite is endless atomic battery which can work many years.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
It is possible, but I don't have foggiest idea how can it be used and why do it for fun.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
Transfering knowledge from one person to other. Other thing is to erase trauma from mind person who need it.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
Sure! What can be more private and valuable that our memories? If anybody could copy or erase our memories we wouldn't be unique.
Like in the mentioned novel "Total recall" using memory transfer for the entertainment is helpful to provide people memories of some exciting activities, such as traveling to Mars, which in the real world wouldn't be possible for them to experience because of high prices.
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteI think that the most common answer over here will be flying skateboard from Back To The Future.
When it comes to predictions I would go with 1984 by Orwell and total invigilation of our lives.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
Not maybe in entertainment. There was this poor sci fi series called Altered Carbon and there was something similar to topic that you presented.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
Yes, for me it will be the same answer as Cezary and Damian and it will be transferring knowledge and skills.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
There is always a great danger that it can be used in not the same way as author invented. But with this experiment we need to wait many years to find out.
Thank You for Your comment. I also think that flying skateboards are amazing!
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that came to my mind was Leonardo da Vinci and his attempts to build flying machines.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
I do not think that such an advanced interference in human consciousness should be used for entertainment. Memory and memories are who we are.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
Transfer of knowledge and making it possible to forget traumatic experiences.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
It can threaten our entire humanity. As I said, memories are something that shapes us. We do not know what long-term consequences of manipulating memory may be.
Thank You for Your answer. I am extremely impressed by Da Vinci's prediction about flying machine, which took place in XV century, giving that first real flying machines was constructed almost four centuries later.
DeleteMy first thought after reading this was - why May 15? Why not April 1?
ReplyDelete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
I think we can credit Verne with predicting nuclear submarines, and then for example Orwell prophesized a complete surveillance which became possible with the Internet giants (not mentioning company names here for obvious reasons), finally Huxley may have been onto something with the 'soma' drug used for keeping the populace calm - but in this case we have electronic entertainment (smartphones) instead of a chemical drug.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
This romanticized idea might not be as great as it seems on surface. Probably we would learn to wipe out memories long before we could arbitrarily alfer them. Some people lie to themselves about the past even now, without injecting any RNA into their system.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
Yes, for example for fraud - make the victim think it never happened. And for the broken-hearted - to help the rejected party, make them forget. What a great tool for marital therapy - this could replace memories of fights with memories of dates, taken directly from romantic comedies. I don't know why I am thinking about the history of lobotomy again.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
Yes, and it is applying a little known technology while hoping for it to be a universal solution to everything. Injecting somebody with foreign RNA could transfer a 'genetic' disease (which would then no more be genetic, but infective) or cause cancer. What else is made of RNA? Viruses.
As You mentioned chemical drug in Your answer for the first question, do You know that there is some conspiracy theory that governments add fluor to the water we drink to make people more obedient to the authorities? It also says that about fluor in the toothpaste.
Delete1. Do you know any other prediction presented in books or in the movies , which became real? If you know some, what is your favorite?
ReplyDeleteI know some movies which predict future, and I write about that.
"Minority report"(2002) this movie describe person who can use computer with help non-contact interface. Now many gamers can use this technology with console with camera that reads movement and transmits movement to game.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
I think this is possible today. Of course, the sphere of entertainment would be one of the spheres where it is used
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer?
I agree with Tomasz Gandor, about married couples. It's useful to people that they saw war, and other horrors of life.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
Is that it will be used in the wrong hands. And not used to help a person, but vice versa
I also think that tracking the movement in the process of using VR is very interesting, but I think that very helpful can be in that case gloves which can make feedback force to Your hands, so You can feel in them Virtual Reality's objects.
DeleteThe article, although very promising, reminds me of those about EM Drive - 'the scientists say it works' and eventually it doesn't. After reading it im totally interested in the idea. Although I'm not certain about if it's a good way to treat PTSD.
ReplyDeleteImagine a person that is struck by a kind of event that generates huge amounts of stress. If we erase this part of memory which is a logical continuity of his actions in life, the patient :
a) will have a gap in -let's call it- action-reaction newtonian module that allows to react or to adapt to certain events
b) without knowledge 'how to act facing similar events' patient will be more likely 'sentenced' to fall into traumatic traps instead of avoiding them.
Here I have some questions for You:
1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
I can mention some classics as "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley and "Animal Farm" or "1984" by George Orwell although these are predictions rather of the matter of a social behaviour, not technological discoveries.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
I can imagine a game where players infect others with fake memories creating alternative realities for them, and the infected task is to figure out their true timeline, but it sound s totally wrong to invent ;)
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
Transfering all the gathered knowledge through generations, in symbolically-narrative packets, containing genetical/tribal/cultural awareness from various sources, making people biologically conscious about their ancestry, rather then relying on volatile or uncertain data.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
If there are benefits, there are always dangers, it's the same attribute slider - so to speak. Using this tech you can as well -not even convince someone but imprint a belief or a memory.
thank You for commenting on my post. Reffering to Your second answer I want to say, that You can play such game right now, because human memory can be very tricky and it is possible to convince somebody that some events happened even though it is not true.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDo you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteStanisław Lem predicted the existence of ebook readers, generally this author predicted many inventions. At the same time, he kept a common sense and did not anticipate the impossible. People have a false idea of technological development.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
Memory transfer is not possible. There are no unambiguous data stored in the human brain. An example is that memories can be modified. Memories are generated on an ongoing basis by the nervous system. You cannot download something that is generated in real time.
Hello Andrzej! Thank You for Your comment. One of my first thoughts when I asked the first question was Stanislaw Lem.
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteI'm into more dark and dystopian SF sub-genres (that luckily are not becoming real yet), but Goddard (the rocket scientist) claimed he got into spaceflight after reading H.G.Wells "War of the Worlds". There is also many cases of direct inspirations, so I don't count those as predictions.
2. Do you think that memory transfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
For the record - there was two "Total recall" movies.
From one point of view, entertainment as a whole is a business of generating memories, so I guess yes. We could skip all the boring part and just inject memories.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
If we can transfer, we could store. It might be possible to off-load some memories into hardware, wither for long-term storage or as a quick access cache.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
Current learning process consists of acquiring of facts and then processing those to form a memories. Should memory transfer be used as a learning tool, we are loosing the processing phase. Without it, there is a risk of creating separate "memory strains" - like bacterial, only with much lower transfer between those. This will grind knowledge progress to a halt.
I agree that it would be interesting to store some memories to catch up with them later.
DeleteThanks for the topic enabling moving the deepest thinking ;)
ReplyDeleteI don’t have such examples from books or movies, but now I have to share with you with my fresh connotation, experienced thanks to this article. First of all I must underline, that I personally always believed, that transplanting any parts of humans body (also blood) brings also memory of donating person. This is information coming after that to new “place”. I had blood transfusion once in my life and I experienced that many things have changed after that – my attitude to some people and situations became totally different.
So, you don’t have to transfer RNA, sometimes it is enough to transplant a kidney or a liver ;-)
For me this is a memory transfer taking place in our everyday life, so – yes, I believe it can happen like you suggest and like it plays in the book you mentioned.
Such “memory transfer” can be used very widely, if can bring results difficult to expect. But for me the most tempting would be, if it could be possible to cover memory with new one ;-) Then we could change our bad memories into good ones :-)
Obviously it can bring danger, because “mixing memories” may mean huge mess in our “information-dependent” world… As a lawyer I can for example imagine possible problems in criminal cases – it can be difficult to know the truth… but like in all kinds of the research, it should be used responsibly, imagining on-line potential results, for the future.
However, it was both frightening and inspiring, thank you, Łukasz.
BR, Marta
Thank You Marta for Your comment! How long have You felt this changes of personality after Your blood transfusion? Have You gone back to the earlier attitude after a while?
DeleteAnd as a response to the second part of Your comment - I agree that in criminal cases it can make some mess by the suspects, but on the other hand, I think that it would be also helpful while questioning the suspect or receiving statements from the witnesses - we could just transfer their memories from the day when the felony occured and know exactly what happened :)
I would say that rather than science-fiction authors predicted something they inspired inventors. I can't remind any specific examples, but it should be a common pattern. I'm not a fan of science-fiction but I think it should be realistic to some extent. Therefore authors have to do their research on what could be possible.
ReplyDeleteIf it was about transferring memories or knowledge then it could be used in entertainment as well as in more serious areas.
Transferring nerve system memory as in the case of marine snails could be used to enhance physical training.
Thank You, I am sure that on some level inventors can base in their researches on the ideas presented in the sci-fi movies and novels.
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteThere was a relatively recent case of Apple suing Samsung over iPad. Samsung’s idea was to prove that iPad’s existed long before Apple made them in… Kubrick’s “Space Odyssey 2001”.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
b. RNA works for primitive animals, that don’t have real memory on their own, just a sort of “species memories”. Thus I don’t believe this method to be applicable on humans, and definitely not for entertainment. But if there was a valid method of doing that – why not?. Although I think the first application would be about recording one’s memories in order to relieve that again. Just like we do with photographs, but more sophisticated.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
c. You could just “download” memories from a witness in criminal case instead of interrogating them. Often people are not sure or don’t know what they’ve seen, so even if they remember some important piece of information, the might describe it poorly or simply skip it. The double check in tough cases by professionals can be useful.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
d. As I’ve stated earlier – this method works only for primitive animals, not on human memories, so I don’t see any particular dangers yet.
I've heard about that case with Samsung vs Apple and I think it was very interesting argument with using the shape similar to iPad in "Space Odyssey 2001" ;)
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteI know. I'm a fan of StarTrek movies. In the films about the adventures of the Enterprise ship's crew, remote communication devices were used. Today, this technology has become a reality in the form of mobile phones.
2. Do you think that memory transfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
It's a very good question. It all depends on further research. Playing with RNA can have unpleasant consequences that we don't know yet. Memory transfers can affect our personality, survival and psyche to a certain extent. We'll see what the future will bring.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
I have no idea. You have already mentioned the applications that come to my mind. Maybe in the future to create an artificial body and the brain. The film "Ghost in the shell" nicely illustrates everything.
4.In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
I think it exists. Copying memories can cause people to transfer all their memories to another body, erasing the memories of another person. All his secrets will be known by the other person. Perhaps he will lose his personality and become a copy of the person from whom he received the memories. This will be the first step to fulfill the dreams of human immortality. The authority to learn the secrets of the villain will want to extract his memories and pass on to another person.
Thank You for Your comment, nice to see You mentioned "Ghost in the shell", one of my favourite movies from 2017!
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favorite?
ReplyDeleteThe basic example are the novels of our compatriot Stanisław Lem and how he predicted the Internet, tablets, nanotechnology, etc. Many of his books have been screened. My favorite example is Solaris.
2. Do you think that the memory can be used in the "Total recall" - and how so?
3. Can you think of another memory for transfer, besides these mentioned above?
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
The basic problem in science is to transfer experiences and their results from one species to another and expect the same effect. Medicine teaches us that the reaction of one drug to such a close relationship with us related chimpanzee can produce completely different effects than in humans, let alone compare the experience to a far evolutionary and primitive animal like a snail. Of course, this may be the reason for searching for applications of such knowledge in the creation of new technologies, but I would strongly advise against getting rid of simplifying our reality in this way.
Apart from simplifying reality and answering the above questions, I think that if you had such tools for memory transfer to the brain, it would be obvious that this would be the basis for the acquisition of dry knowledge and facts, of course, there would be a lot of problems and dangers associated with this technology basic question about the amount of space in our brain or the security of primary information in the brain.
I agree that one of the most fascinating example of the predictions in the books are Stanisław Lem's novels.
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeletePretty much a lot of things related with virtual and augmented reality are predictions that now come true.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
It depends how invasive it will be and how safe. It is hard to believe that DNA experiment will be something that someone will pay for to substitute vacations.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
No
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
Yes, for example you can lose track what is your real memory and what is a fake memory.
Beside above questions I want to add that this is a very early stage of the experiment and it is not a proof yet, it is just an assumption. We need to remember that Such experiment on a snail is far from a similar experiment on humans or even apes.
Thank You for Your comment.
DeleteIn my opinion, all the questions can be narrowed down to one. Are you ready to agree to manipulate your brain? Manipulating your memories? Do you want so other people to know about you (especially about your past) everything what you have so far happily concealed?
ReplyDeleteI am not ready for it and I wouldn't like to agree to it at the moment.
I think that it all depends on the individuals, I - on the other hand - would like to try to gain some specific memories to my brains so ma knowledge or skills could be extended;)
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteI am afraid I cannot recall any particular predictions. I think many of the inventions were described in the literature but it was quite obvious that these premises will be fulfilled.
2. Do you think that memory tranfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
As far as I remember, initially Total recall was some kind of an entertainment but then it turned out to be a some kind of a nightmare. A manipulation of the memories is quite dangerous.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
I think that the most promising idea is the knowledge transfer. It could be a new revolution and may reduce the time spent on learning (like in Matrix). Human would become some kind of robots with such memory partitions.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
As I have mentioned there is a real possibility of manipulation of the memories of individuals and groups. This may a real example of minds hacking.
I also think that there is a danger of mind hacking, but I am willing to say that there is always a risk if You want to proccess further.
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteAirplanes? :D I read that one of the generals during first world war have said that no one will use airplanes in the future. I can easily say that this was far from being true, don't you think?
2. Do you think that memory transfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
In my honest opinion, it shouldn't be used to entertain people. It could be useful in some critical diseases treatments and so on, but I would avoid using it for trivial things. Unless it's something so common and safe to use that you can fiddle with it without any problems.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
Like I have already written, I read about very specific treatments where it could be used.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
There is always a threat and in this particular case, it should be used with caution. I wouldn't say it will be very popular.
Yes, it was really far away from the current reality ;) for sure airplanes are essential for nowadays mode of transportation ;)
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteI think that the most important was about people flying. Years ago it was a total abstraction for people. now it is something really normal. Don't you think?:)
2. Do you think that memory transfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
I think that entertainment is something that will boost it but usage will be not so important.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
I think about passing the knowledge we have in our minds to others, next generations. It could be a real jump for humanity - not to have to learn 20 years to know something 🙂
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
Of course, there is, but perhaps not on this stage of the discovery.
I agree that it would be priceless to gain knowledge only that long as it takes to transfer memories ;) years and years of studies could be saved ;)
Delete1. Do you know any other predictions presented in books or in the movies, which became real? If you know some, what is your favourite?
ReplyDeleteI would say airplanes, cars and rockets. People used to dream of flying to the moon and in the end it did take place, though of course some people claim that it never happened and this is one big American mystifaction.
2. Do you think that memory transfer can be used in the entertainment – like in „Total recall” - and how so?
I don't think it's a good idea from ethical point of view.
3. Can you think of another usage for the memory transfer, besides these mentioned above?
I agree with Artur, passing knowledge between generations would be really great.
4. In your opinion, is there any danger coming from the described discovery?
It's quite possible, but the works on this project are not advanced enough to make such a statement.
Yeah, I've heard about theories that landing on the Moon was just a mistification ;) I am curious if in this theories may be some level of truth ;)
Delete