parapsychology in the news

11.21: psy/parapsych/em waves for communication:

physics arXiv blog, Nov. 19, 2009

Sergei Mayburov at the Lebedev Institute of Physics in Moscow

suggests that optical communication

is a natural process in many cells of body,

closely related to photosynthesis.

Last year, researchers at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago

showed that human cells in culture

could synchronize their internal chemical processes

even though they were mechanically, chemically,

and electrically isolated from one another.

The cells, it seemed, were communicating through the exchange of photons.

news.psy/parapsychology/bigger Not Necessarily Better, When It Comes to Brains:

Science Daily, Nov. 18, 2009

Tiny insects could be as intelligent as much bigger animals,

despite only having a brain the size of a pinhead,

say scientists at Queen Mary, University of London.

Research repeatedly shows how insects are capable of some intelligent behaviors

scientists previously thought was unique to larger animals.

This must mean that much "advanced" thinking

can actually be done with very limited neuron numbers.

Computer modelling shows that even consciousness

can be generated with very small neural circuits,

which could in theory easily fit into an insect brain.

In fact, the models suggest that counting could be achieved

with only a few hundred nerve cells

and only a few thousand could be enough to generate consciousness.

Engineers hope that this kind of research

will lead to smarter computing

with the ability to recognize human facial expressions and emotions.