The security impact of the neurosciences

The development and use of human enhancement drugs, especially for military purposes, causes even greater debate and speculation. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s program on Preventing Sleep Deprivation, for example, has invested millions of dollars in developing drugs that aim to “prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation” and increase “soldiers’ ability to function more safely and effectively despite the prolonged wakefulness inherent in current operations.” Interest in this program kindled further research in performance enhancement drugs that counter sleep deprivation such as Ampakine CX717, which enhances attention span and alertness by binding to AMPA-type glutamate receptors in the brain boosting the activity of glutamate, a neurotransmitter, and other improvements from Modafinil, a non-amphetamine based stimulant or “wakefulness promoting agent.” Other potential neuropharmaceutical applications include improving memory retention and treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

Source: The Bulletin.

Scientists: Humans and machines will merge in future

LONDON, England (CNN) — A group of experts from around the world will hold a first of its kind conference Thursday on global catastrophic risks.

They will discuss what should be done to prevent these risks from becoming realities that could lead to the end of human life on Earth as we know it. Speakers at the four-day event at Oxford University in Britain will talk about topics including nuclear terrorism and what to do if a large asteroid were to be on a collision course with our planet.

On the final day of the Global Catastrophic Risk Conference, experts will focus on what could be the unintended consequences of new technologies, such as superintelligent machines that, if ill-conceived, might cause the demise of Homo sapiens.

Source: CNN.

Cern lab goes ‘colder than space’

The Large Hadron Collider is entering the final stages of being lowered to a temperature of 1.9 Kelvin (-271C; -456F) – colder than deep space. The LHC has thousands of magnets which will be maintained in this frigid condition using liquid helium. The magnets are arranged in a ring that runs for 27km through the giant tunnel.

Once the LHC is operational, two particle beams – usually consisting of protons accelerated to high energies – will be fired down pipes running through the magnets. These beams will then travel in opposite directions around the main ring at close to the speed of light.

At allotted points along the tunnel, the beams will cross paths, smashing into one another with cataclysmic force. Scientists hope to see new particles in the debris of these collisions, revealing fundamental new insights into the nature of the cosmos and how it came into being.

Source: BBC.

The Secrets of Anti-Aging Genes

Jeanne Calment of France, shown here at age 119, died in 1997 at age 122 years and 164 days. Credit: NVP

An ambitious plan to sequence 100 genes in 1,000 healthy old people could shed light on genetic variations that insulate some people from the ailments of aging, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, allowing them to live a healthy life into their eighties and beyond. Rather than focusing on genetic variations that increase risk for disease, scientists plan to focus on genes that have previously been linked to health and longevity.

Source: Technology Review

STARMAC Quadrotor Helicopter Project

Source: Wired Danger Room.

Kevin Warwick – “I, Cyborg”: Implants, RFID, Microchips & Cybernetics

We have Kevin Warwick, Professor of Cybernetics at the University of Reading with us on the program to discuss his latest research in Cybernetics, Implantable RFID’s, Microchips, Artificial Intelligence, Biomedical Engineering, Brain Machine Interfaces, Robotics, “Human 2.0″ and his book “I, Cyborg”.

Source: Red Ice Creations.