Now this is why I love neuroscience. In a recent weekly paper presentation, one of the groups in my class presented a paper called Genetic enhancement of learning and memory in mice. After altering a single gene in mice, the authors of the paper managed to improve their learning and memory significantly, by up to 30%. Super intelligent mice, indeed.
What really amused me was the blithe Powerpoint presentation that accompanied the paper. For example, one slide was:
- This study supports Hebb’s model of synaptic coincidence detection.
- Suggests that 10-100 Hz activity in the forebrain is important for learning and memory.
- Creating intelligent GM animals (humans?)
- Future work: other species
And people have to gall to say that scientists aren’t socially responsible!
(I can go into greater detail about the paper if people want, but I didn’t think it was necessary for this post).
mssv 