Jeff Stibel On The Brain/Internet

The brain - internet analogy gains ground everyday. It's potentially quite fruitful for businesses and small internet start-ups to think of the internet as a brain.








Drawing the google homepage from memory with eyes closed.

This Might Be The Birth Of A New Genre

Great example of how web 2.0 has permeated generation Y's social life and understanding of connectivity and self promotion. This song has to break the record for most internet references. Not only does 20 year old Charles Hamilton rap over a Windows computer jingle (you'll recognize it), the entire chorus consists of a list of his various blogs, profile pages, and websites. "Log on...download me," he says. Later he wishes viruses upon his haters' blogs.

The Rat-Brained Robots

Scientists at the University of Reading are experimenting with robots controlled wirelessly by a collection of rat neurons. The 300,000 or so neurons, harvested from rat fetuses, are housed in warmed broth of nutrients.

Dan Dennett On The Awesome Power Of The Meme

Meme's are units of cultural evolution. We are their hosts.

Beme: Youtube And The Consequences of Context Collapse

Mike Wesch, anthropologist at Kansas State University, speaks to the Library of Congress.

Beme: Studies Uncover Key To Living Longer

Genetic researchers have discovered how calorie restriction increases lifespan in mice and rat populations. It's the same reason those few centenarians can somehow eat cheeseburgers their whole lives and turn out just fine.

Beme: Our Brains React Differently To A.I.

MRI scans show that our brains don't exhibit activity in the area of the brain responsible for understanding someone's perspective when we observe a machine solving a problem. But what if the machine was super cute? Or took the form of a lifelike avatar a la The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress.

Beme: We Need To Break Down Boundaries

Five scientific thinkers that are doing just that.