Controversial claim challenges principle of cosmological sameness on which prevailing theory rests
Get the latest international news and world events from around the world.
Consciousness is not an object we can observe
Physicist Carlo Rovelli recently proclaimed that consciousness is just another physical thing, while materialist philosophers argue that consciousness is simply one brain state observing another. What such views miss, argues Manfred Frank, a leading figure in contemporary German philosophy, is that consciousness comes with a built-in awareness of itself—an awareness that exists prior to any introspection or observation. Consciousness does not observe itself in the way we observe objects; rather, it dissolves the distinction between observer and observed altogether. This is why consciousness cannot be simply another object in the world, but instead exists in an entirely different dimension.
I
If we had no consciousness our lives would be devoid of meaning. We have been immersed in this medium since before we were born and remain in it even in our dreams. And we do so without any effort on our part. Apart from when it is interrupted by deep sleep or we are unconscious after fainting or during anaesthesia, we remain in this state or are enveloped in it throughout our entire lives. Nothing is more familiar to us than consciousness; it is so familiar that we rarely notice it or attend to it.
Connectomics and the neural basis of behaviour
Methods to acquire and process synaptic-resolution electron-microscopy datasets have progressed very rapidly, allowing production and annotation of larger, more complete connectomes. More accurate neuronal matching techniques are enriching cell type data with gene expression, neuron activity, behaviour and developmental information, providing ways to test hypotheses of circuit function. In a variety of behaviours such as learned and innate olfaction, navigation and sexual behaviour, connectomics has already revealed interconnected modules with a hierarchical structure, recurrence and integration of sensory streams.
Non-invasive brain stimulation: current and future applications in neurology
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) shows considerable promise as a therapeutic strategy for neurological and psychiatric disorders. This Review explores the role of NIBS techniques, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial electrical stimulation, for treating cognitive impairments, speech and language difficulties, and motor control deficits in people with neurodegenerative or brain lesion disorders.
Connectomics: Unraveling the Wiring of Neural Networks
Working in connectomics means creating comprehensive maps of brain and nervous system networks. Your research includes the identification and measurement of all parts of each neuron: the soma, dendrites, axonal path and branching patterns and combining that data with the synapses and gap junctions of the entire circuit.
Your microscopy challenges are extensive; submicron resolution is required over long distances inside large volumes of dense and complicated tissues.
Michael D. West
Can aging be reversed? Dr. Michael West explains telomerase, cellular immortality, stem cells, tissue regeneration, and the future of longevity.
LifeCraft Sciences:
https://lifecraftsciences.com/
In this episode, I sit down with pioneering molecular gerontologist and biotechnology entrepreneur Dr. Michael D. West to explore telomeres, telomerase, cellular senescence, stem cells, tissue regeneration, and the possibility of reversing biological aging.
One of our central topics is the groundbreaking telomerase program West founded and led at Geron. That research helped establish how restoring telomerase activity can protect the ends of chromosomes and allow normal human cells to move beyond their usual replicative limit while retaining youthful characteristics in laboratory culture. We unpack what scientists mean when they say a cell has been “immortalized,” why cellular immortality is very different from making a person immortal, and how telomerase connects the biology of aging with the biology of cancer.
We also explore West’s work in regenerative medicine and his early vision of pluripotent stem cells as a “parts supply store” for the human body. Could youthful cells eventually be used to repair damaged tissues, replace worn-out biological components, and restore regenerative capabilities lost with age? West discusses the early isolation of human embryonic stem cells, therapeutic cloning, developmental reprogramming, and what cloned animals taught researchers about resetting cellular age.
Finally, we discuss LifeCraft Sciences and RESTORE, the company’s experimental approach combining telomerase with developmental regulators to return aged cells to a more youthful, regenerative state. It is a fascinating conversation about the history of longevity science, the future of tissue repair, and one of biology’s biggest questions: can aging eventually be reversed rather than merely slowed?