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San Francisco, 2:08 PM
Sat Dec 5
18 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #memory more →

    Scientists Rewrite Flies' Memories, Bring the Dollhouse Closer

    A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory

    Commonly-Prescribed Drug Significantly Reduces Memory Loss from Alzheimers

    A Pill to Selectively Erase Your Traumatic Memories

    People Whose Memories Improve with Age
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Starwatcher Starwatcher
    10/18/09

    In reply to Scientists Rewrite Flies' Memories, Bring the Dollhouse Closer
    Experiments on memory are among the most worrisome in my book. Memory is plastic enough and can be strongly manipulated just with selective propaganda, and now scientists want to go mucking around with it. Be very concerned. #neuroscience
     Reply
    Starwatcher was starred Starwatcher was unstarred
    Image of firstanointed firstanointed
    10/17/09

    In reply to Scientists Rewrite Flies' Memories, Bring the Dollhouse Closer
    Good lord, they wasted money doing this study? Really? I could have done this using a whoopee cushion and video of Rush Limbaugh. #neuroscience
     Reply
    ParryLost promoted this comment firstanointed was starred firstanointed was unstarred
    Image of ParryLost ParryLost
    10/17/09

    @firstanointed: You could have mapped out the exact individual neurons responsible for associative learning in a simple brain with a whoopee cushion and a video of Rush Limbaugh? :P #neuroscience
     Reply
    ParryLost was starred ParryLost was unstarred
    Image of firstanointed firstanointed
    10/18/09

    @ParryLost: Yes! You'll have to take my word for it. It's a delicate but precise science. #neuroscience
     Reply
    firstanointed was starred firstanointed was unstarred
    Image of Bigdamnhero Bigdamnhero
    10/17/09

    In reply to Scientists Rewrite Flies' Memories, Bring the Dollhouse Closer
    This will never work on humans. When I turn on the TV most nights, an awful odor begins to permeate the room... and yet I'll continue to watch SyFy. #neuroscience
     Reply
    Bigdamnhero was starred Bigdamnhero was unstarred
    Image of Blue_Thark Blue_Thark
    10/17/09

    In reply to Scientists Rewrite Flies' Memories, Bring the Dollhouse Closer
    There are just 12 cells in the fly brain linked with associative learning.

    So THAT's why the same fly keeps landing on my Fruit Loops without realizing they're indigestible.

    The flies effective "remembered" that something bad was associated with the smell, even though they had never experienced it themselves.

    And are they sure the flies weren't just remembering the, um, giant horrible laser burning into their tiny brains?

    Also, I hope I'm not the only one who thinks the fly in that photo looks amusingly "stitchpunk." #neuroscience
     Reply
    Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. promoted this comment Blue_Thark was starred Blue_Thark was unstarred
    Image of ParryLost ParryLost
    10/17/09

    @Blue_Thark: I think they did control for the "giant horrible laser into ur brain" effect. The article mentions the flies only reacted with fear when they activated the right cells with the laser-guided ATP thingy, which implies they shot the laser at other cells without provoking a fear response. #neuroscience
     Reply
    ParryLost was starred ParryLost was unstarred
    Image of phoghat phoghat
    10/17/09

    In reply to Scientists Rewrite Flies' Memories, Bring the Dollhouse Closer
    And the fly said #neuroscience
     Reply
    phoghat was starred phoghat was unstarred
    Image of ThisDudeRufus ThisDudeRufus
    10/17/09

    In reply to Scientists Rewrite Flies' Memories, Bring the Dollhouse Closer
    Is there a way to use this to make a positive reaction? #neuroscience
     Reply
    ThisDudeRufus was starred ThisDudeRufus was unstarred
    Image of delusionsofgrandeur delusionsofgrandeur
    10/17/09

    @ThisDudeRufus: Helping rape victims and war veterans would be my first plan of action. #neuroscience
     Reply
    ThisDudeRufus promoted this comment delusionsofgrandeur was starred delusionsofgrandeur was unstarred
    Image of GreyHammer GreyHammer
    10/17/09

    @delusionsofgrandeur: thats exactly where my mind went with it. trauma victims made whole again by augmented memories. #neuroscience
     Reply
    GreyHammer was starred GreyHammer was unstarred
    Image of J_Frank_Parnell J_Frank_Parnell
    10/17/09

    @delusionsofgrandeur: Don't forget people who've paid money to see Roland Emmerich movies. #neuroscience
     Reply
    J_Frank_Parnell was starred J_Frank_Parnell was unstarred
    Image of Srynerson Srynerson
    10/17/09

    @J_Frank_Parnell: No, that's usually self-inflicted. We don't want to create a "moral risk" situation encouraging people to watch Roland Emmerich's films. #neuroscience
     Reply
    RandomFrequentFlierDent promoted this comment Srynerson was starred Srynerson was unstarred
    Image of Jesse Astle Jesse Astle
    10/17/09

    @GreyHammer: But what if I'm Captain Kirk and I want my pain? #neuroscience
     Reply
    Bigdamnhero promoted this comment Jesse Astle was starred Jesse Astle was unstarred
    Image of Bigdamnhero Bigdamnhero
    10/17/09

    @delusionsofgrandeur: Having never been either, I am supremely unqualified to have an opinion... but for sake of argument: is forgetting trauma really preferable to coming to grips with it?

    That which we choose not to remember makes us stronger? #neuroscience
     Reply
    Bigdamnhero was starred Bigdamnhero was unstarred
    Image of ThisDudeRufus ThisDudeRufus
    10/17/09

    @Bigdamnhero: It seems like it's not so much altering the actual memory, rather it's just altering the physiological response. Like, it wouldn't make you forget that balloon trip when you were seven, but you won't puke on planes anymore. #neuroscience
     Reply
    ThisDudeRufus was starred ThisDudeRufus was unstarred
    Image of spidyredneckjedi spidyredneckjedi
    10/17/09

    @ThisDudeRufus: If I'm reading you right, it wouldn't get to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind levels of advancement or implementation. It would more or less help people to get over minor phobias like snakes or heights, based on traumatic experiences of the past.
    I'd get behind that science. #neuroscience
     Reply
    Bigdamnhero promoted this comment spidyredneckjedi was starred spidyredneckjedi was unstarred
    Image of Bigdamnhero Bigdamnhero
    10/17/09

    @ThisDudeRufus: Interesting... but is that still desirable? We are the sum of everything that has happened to us.

    Maybe this is a bit hyperbolic, but I'm reminded of the Twilight Zone ep, "Number 12 Looks Just Like You." While the Transformation has to do with physical looks, it's also a kind of "mental" plastic surgery, indicated by the scene with Lana and Val, right before she's Transformed:

    Lana: "Valery... can't you feel anything?"

    Val: "Well, of course silly! I feel good... I always feel good. Life is pretty, life is fun; I am all, and all is one!"

    I know we're just talking about eliminating phobias, but still... how slippery is that slope? How much of your mind would you be willing to alter to be happy? #neuroscience
     Reply
    Bigdamnhero was starred Bigdamnhero was unstarred
    Image of GreyHammer GreyHammer
    10/17/09

    In reply to Scientists Rewrite Flies' Memories, Bring the Dollhouse Closer
    hopefully this puts us in the cool version of dollhouse with felicia day and not the client of the week stuff. #neuroscience
     Reply
    GreyHammer was starred GreyHammer was unstarred
    Image of Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
    07/02/09

    In reply to A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
    Is this permanent or semi-permanent? That might be info overload, esp. if you click on the wrong web link.


    But if you could just take it a few days before finals, that would be all kinds of awesome.

     Reply
    Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. was starred Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. was unstarred
    Image of twophrasebark twophrasebark
    07/02/09

    In reply to A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
    Hope you feel better, Annalee.


    Twophrasebark <---- didn't make any snotty comments

     Reply
    twophrasebark was starred twophrasebark was unstarred
    Image of twophrasebark twophrasebark
    07/02/09

    In reply to A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
    This is so interesting. What if you were taking this drug and saw something you desperately wanted to forget?
     Reply
    twophrasebark was starred twophrasebark was unstarred
    Image of Voyou_Charmant Voyou_Charmant
    07/02/09

    In reply to A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
    I can remember in fairly stunning detail my adventures on chocolate covered mushrooms.
     Reply
    Voyou_Charmant was starred Voyou_Charmant was unstarred
    Image of Hamslicer Hamslicer
    07/02/09

    In reply to A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
    I scrolled all the way down here and now I don't remember what I came in here for.
     Reply
    Hamslicer was starred Hamslicer was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    07/02/09

    @Hamslicer: You were going to give me money via suitcase of cash.
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    07/02/09

    In reply to A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
    OKAY EVERYBODY Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding.
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    07/02/09

    @Grey_Area: heh. That was supposed to be:

    "OKAY EVERYBODY THE 1ST PARAGRAPH HAS BEEN FIXED. Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding."


    Dang lack of an edit feature. Yes, I get the irony.

     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    07/02/09

    @Grey_Area: *points and laughs*
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    07/02/09

    @crashedpc : ゴキブリ and 蟑螂 division: Sad book reviewer is sad.
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of 92BuickLeSabre 92BuickLeSabre
    07/02/09

    @Grey_Area: It's more boring now.


    Change it back!


    Change it back!

     Reply
    92BuickLeSabre was starred 92BuickLeSabre was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    07/02/09

    @Grey_Area: Ooh, are we have a meme-off? Cause, just to let you know, I'd lose on purpose. This ain't a battle worth fighting for.
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    07/02/09

    @crashedpc : ゴキブリ and 蟑螂 division: Nevermind.
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of Tiber Tiber
    07/02/09

    In reply to A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
    Somehow I wouldn't be surprised if the MPAA tries to fight this, given their oh-so-rational behavior. Think of all the repeat ticket buyers they'd miss out on!
     Reply
    Tiber was starred Tiber was unstarred
    Image of frankenstoen frankenstoen
    07/02/09

    @Tiber: Not only is the MPAA going to fight this, the MPAA is going to start putting Rohypnol in all the soft drinks sold in movie theaters to help people forget how awful the movie they just saw was. (This will also help prevent negative reviews as well as drive those repeat viewings.)
     Reply
    frankenstoen was starred frankenstoen was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    07/02/09

    @frankenstoen: They should hand them out for free for all the dudes dragged to chick flicks by their girlfriends, and vice versa for action sploding movies.
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of EhnoValemount EhnoValemount
    07/02/09

    In reply to A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
    I wonder if there's a risk of filling your brain up with this drug. I mean, a brain has a finite amount of memory, surely, and if we're *capable* of remembering everything perfectly then there is likely an evolutionary reason why we *don't*...
     Reply
    EhnoValemount was starred EhnoValemount was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    07/02/09

    @EhnoValemount: I would imagine that shit would start to overlap and you'd be very, very, confused as you tried to sort things out, and eventually you go insane.
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of acrobatic rabbit acrobatic rabbit
    07/02/09

    @EhnoValemount: sanity perhaps? also, I don't know if the brain has a finite amount of memory.
     Reply
    acrobatic rabbit was starred acrobatic rabbit was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    07/02/09

    @acrobatic rabbit: There are only so many brain cells to fill up... granted, it's a lot. BUT, imagine not being to forget every single freakin detail from every single thing you see/hear/experience/think. It may fill up pretty fast.
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of Tzepish Tzepish
    07/02/09

    @acrobatic rabbit: Well, considering the universe itself has a finite amount of data storage, I think it's safe to say the human brain does. The limit may be staggeringly high, but it's certainly finite.
     Reply
    Tzepish was starred Tzepish was unstarred
    Image of crymson777 crymson777
    07/02/09

    @Tzepish: At least until someone figures out a drug to generate new brain cells...........
     Reply
    crymson777 was starred crymson777 was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    07/02/09

    @crymson777: Then we'll be lugging secondary and tertiary brains around as backup memory!
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
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