A new way to study the brain's invisible secrets | Ed Boyden

Neuroengineer Ed Boyden wants to know how the tiny biomolecules in our brains generate emotions, thoughts and feelings — and he wants to find the molecular changes that lead to disorders like epilepsy and Alzheimer's. Rather than magnify these invisible structures with a microscope, he wondered: What if we physically enlarge them and make them easier to see? Learn how the same polymers used to make baby diapers swell could be a key to better understanding our brains.

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[colin]

I'm so glad we have people like Boyden in the world. This man is frighteningly intelligent - 192 patents granted, 343 pending, 3 degrees from MIT with a 5.0. average (B.S. in electrical engineering and computer science, M.S. in electrical engineering and computer science, B.S. in physics), PhD in neuroscience from Stanford 4.1/4.0. I admire this guy immensely.

[ShobhitVashistha]

well, this talk definitely expanded my mind... I'll see myself out now...

[DMTFLTV]

does anyone else feel like TED has become super super hit-or-miss in 2016? Granted, this is one of those 'Hit' times, but this isn't how it always was.

[Enso.]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this method aids in the "complexity problem", but not necessarily the sheer numbers problem. Yes, it would allow easier pinpointing of differences over time for a given network. But making one billion connections more spread out still leaves us with one billion connections, so I'm struggling to see how this would aid in the effort needed to map these pathways- where a signal is coming from and going to. Am I missing something?

[WritingSoundscapes]

This is an incredible hypothesis very well explained. Will definitely be following his research!

[marka]

I do have to say, working againts the human body imperfections at a molecular level (targeting induvidual molecules) is quite the intreaging thouhgt. Because of people with visions of such things as you, is that we get these movements of improvement. Maybe not tummorow, but one day this method will be helping millions of people. Good presentation on the screen too, the animation definetly filled up my imagination!

[nikhileshmanchi]

very nice n well said...hope ur research goes in right way to help humanity

[ricasiogaming]

GENUIS! Give this kid a Nobel prize damn it.

[NazwaBricksZajeta]

+TED
How can I donate to this? This is an amazing and innovative idea and We really should support this.

[neethunazareth]

Enjoyed the talk sir. But I wonder how a delicate human cell could expand as it has limited elastic property? Or does it have enough?

[catchychuckles]

"When I grow up I want to study diapers."

[Technoxity]

This is an incredible moving point as far as science goes!

[chaz-e]

This would probably rupture the neurological connections and render the sample useless. But still an interesting way to tackle the problem.

[jeremybumpermanpub]

He’s wearing the same clothes here that he wore to a Ted Talk more than ten years ago

[juligrlee]

Thanks for this elegant research theory and operalization.

[XxDjoSlaxX]

Ted talks are my jam, I absolutely love them!!! I listen almost every day to a couple of ted talks! You're amazing guys, keep up the good work!

[jeunjetta]

The pattern of neuronal connections as well as the organised positions of tiny biomolecules are determined by the Electromagnetic field that permeates the brain (and body for that matter). Look at the way a flock of birds fly exactly in sync and even turn sharply with split second precision. Similarly, in real time, the tiny biomolecules will move depending on the pattern of the EM field. This is in fact simple chemistry and physics. We know that molecules react to applied EM fields, particular frequencies pertaining to particular elements. We also know that molecules may respond by emitting or absorbing photons or electrons, thereby creating a bio-feedback loop for strengthening or weakening the applied EM field.

[imranq]

Since brain tissues are way bigger than light and electrons, why not make our observation frequencies higher with electron microscopy ? Still really impressive work

[BunnyFett]

Amazing. I'm so excited for the future.

[greatgamingchannale]

I have a theory that all the brains in this world are conected by invisible lines of neurons but the neurons that conect your brain to your future and past self are the most powerfull and when you have a dejavu moment you in the future actually expirienced something great from that exact moment and if you die i think your concusnes transfers to a different you.