Whose Brain Would You Like to Share?
Last week, scientists revealed some big news: At Duke University, they linked the brains of two rats so they could communicate with each other. The rats didn’t really know they were communicating, but one of the rats relayed information to the other through a form of telepathy.
The implications for this are huge. Imagine if we were one day able to link some of the greatest minds together to form an organic supercomputer capable of huge leaps forward in science and technology? We could finally have teleportation, flying cars, and puppies that never stop looking like puppies.
So my question for you is: If this technology were developed to the point that you could be inside someone else’s mind for a few minutes, communicating with them, experiencing the way they think, and tapping into their memories, with whose mind would you choose to link? I’ll answer for myself based on those categories, but I’m curious to hear your answer in the comments.
- communicate with: This is an interesting category since we’re in a world where you essentially can communicate with anyone as long as they’ll e-mail or tweet back to you. So I’m trying to think of someone who’s off the grid or who is too famous to reply. Or maybe just a sexy woman. I’m always down for that. Yeah, let’s go with Amy Adams. That never gets old.
- experience the way they think: Biddy (my cat), obviously
- tap into memories: This one is tough. I want someone who has some great secret, something the world suspects but can’t prove. OJ Simpson? Manti Te’o? Anyone who has claimed to have been abducted by aliens or seen Bigfoot? Or perhaps simply someone who I admire to the nth degree? Daniel Day Lewis, perhaps?
What about you?
Being a relatively new parent, I’d have to go with William (my son) on communicate with. It’d be awesome to really know without a doubt what’s bothering a baby when he cries. My answer to “experience the way he/she thinks” would probably be the same, but in order to avoid replication, I’ll choose someone else. I’d choose someone with the ability to bend spoons or practice really deep meditation. It’d be fun to be in the mind of a great magician for a brief period as well. Tap into memories is an easy one for me–Anthony Bourdain (chef/world traveler). I’d love to know what it was like to visit nearly every country in the world and to try some of it’s best cuisine while you’re there.
Trev–I agree that it would be fascinating to see the way your child views the world during those first few years. I like the Anthony Bourdain pick too. Are there people who can bend spoons with their mind?
This is scary. They’re gonna take over the world! I would love to be able to communicate with my immediate family, experience the way David Lynch thinks and tap into the memories of George Clooney.
Teddy–That’s really neat that you would choose your family for that first category. I hadn’t thought about that, but I like it a lot. I think I might have nightmares for a while after peeking into David Lynch’s mind, though.
Oh that’s the whole point with Lynch. I’d probably have to be locked up in a mental ward afterwards. At least I could communicate with m family from there.
Ha ha…very true, Teddy. At least you’d have telepathy with your family.
If I could communicate with anyone/anything, I’m not sure I’d use that gift on a celebrity. I’d rather pick some kind of creature that is unable to communicate back with me through normal human speech. However neat that would be though, I’m not sure it would really do me a whole lot of good in the long run. I mean, what are we really going to discuss? Once you get past “You’re such a good dog, yes you are!” what else is left? “Hey, I really didn’t appreciate it that time you chewed up my heels?” or “Oh, I didn’t realize you hated that new brand of dog food I bought for you. Thanks for the tip.”
But I think it would be fantastic to be able to communicate with someone whose body has failed them but their mind is still very much alive–kind of act as a conduit for their friends and family to give them that little bit of peace during what I’m sure is a difficult time. Might as well use my powers for good, right?
I think it would be hilarious to tap into the way our pets think, but no love for Walter?
I think I would choose an older person for their memories; someone who has led a long and full life. I’d like to know what kinds of things really stand out to people over the years and try to learn from their experiences. Although I do like your suggestion of the people with great secrets though. Being a history major in college, I was always curious to know if I’d ever find out who Deep Throat really was, and there are many more of those types of things that I wonder about.
And also, puppies that always look like puppies?!? Someone needs to get on that, stat.
Katie–I admire your willingness to do something good with your newfound ability. Well said!
As for Walter…I don’t think much goes on in his little head, poor little guy.
Can you think of anyone else in history with huge secrets from whom you want to know the truth?
Well, since Colonel Sanders is dead, I would choose the person to whom he bequeathed his recipe of 12 secret herbs and spices.
You know, that or one of those people that knows what really happened during the JFK assassination…
…either one seems like a solid choice.
(Although, JFK is gone and nothing is going to change that. But with the secret recipe, I could make delicious chicken whenever I want. Such dilemmas!
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I would love to know those two things as well. Although I’m a Popeyes guy.
I, too, considered the possible historical implications of this question. As a bit of a history buff myself (and assuming that we can communicate with dead people), I’d be interested to tap into Jack the Ripper (to figure out who he really was moreso than to recount gruesome murders), someone from the Lost City of Atlantis (if it exists), and Amelia Earhart.