The Melding of Minds

The article begins with a reference to Star Trek.

It’s not all that surprising when considering the topic, but still rather interesting. 

This article was based on a study led by neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis of Duke University. The study began with the scientists training two groups of rats. The first group, called the “encoders,” was trained to hit one of two levers. The lever they were supposed to hit was indicated by a light above each lever. As each lever was hit, the signals in the brain were recorded. The second group, known as the “decoders,” was also trained, though instead of lights to signal, they received a burst of stimulus and were later trained to choose which lever based on the intensity of the stimulus.

Once the training was complete, the scientists connected each encoder with a decoder and began the experiment. They were trying to see if the actions of the encoders could be used to make the decoders choose the correct lever. The results were mostly positive, as they were correct over fifty percent of the time, but the experiment was still flawed.

For example, it was also pointed out in the article that as the decoding rats had already learned to associate various stimulus levels with each lever. How were they supposed to know that the decoders had actually interpreted a signal from the encoders and weren’t just responding as they always had?

NOS Themes

• Science is based on evidence: They received evidence by seeing which lever was pressed.
• Role of skepticism: Flaws in the experiment were pointed out and nothing was proclaimed as fact.
• Role of chance: The article claims that the experiment wasn’t based purely on chance, as the rate correct was over fifty percent.

Article: Rats do tasks while connected brain-to-brain