Our brains are often likened to computers, with learned skills and memories stored in the activity patterns of billions of nerve cells. However, the new research shows that memories of specific events and experiences may never settle down. Instead, the activity patterns that store information can continually change, even when we are not learning anything new. Such conundra will likely remain speculative for the immediate future, but experimental technology that achieves a limited version of such mind-reading is already a reality, as this study shows. “Our study shows that in spite of this change, we can construct and maintain a relatively stable ‘dictionary’ to read out what an animal is thinking as it navigates a familiar environment.

Source: Hindustan Times July 14, 2020 12:01 UTC