#21 - Mind Reading... But You Knew That Already. Right?!

07/10/23 • 41 min

Fresh from presenting on the future of medicine, Dr Bruce is busting to talk about what he considers one of the most exciting frontiers right now -- reading and decoding directly off the brain (and writing to it too!).
Neuroethicists are split on whether a study that uses brain scans and AI to decode imagined thoughts poses a threat to mental privacy. But whatever you think - the advances are coming thick and fast, and we're already doing impossibly wonderful things like helping paraplegics walk again and catching criminals, with much, much more in the pipeline.
There's EEG, fNIRS [functional near-infrared spectroscopy], fMRI [functional magnetic resonance imaging], EMG, and other modalities that collect biological, electrophysiological, and other functions from the human brain. You can then use this data to identify particular patterns for the purpose of thought prediction and analysis. You can use it to make inferences based on brain states: are you tired, are you thinking about us, what are you thinking about, are you bored? are you telling the truth? what is your PIN number? what are the codes, and are you planning something terrible - like a crime?
Well, that is what could be in our future - especially when brain data is collected by consumer products or at retail outlets... so it's great - and not so great all at the same time - again.

And you guessed it - PJ’s evil side is already conjuring up darker, naughtier applications! Plug in your earbuds and dial 'em up to ten. This one will blow all your circuits! (although you probably already knew that!)

And for the record, when we're doing real work and not podcasting, you'll find Dr Bruce, The Global Futurist presenting here and PJ applying his digital marketing genius here. Enjoy!

And for the record, when we're doing real work and not podcasting, you'll find Dr Bruce, The Global Futurist presenting here and PJ applying his digital marketing genius here. Enjoy!

Previous Episode

#20 - Print Me A Kidney

Hey doc? This heart’s ticking when it should be tocking – can you print me up a new one? That’s right, we’re wading knee-deep into the gooey world of bioprinting.

According to Grand View Research, the global 3D bioprinting market size was valued at $2B USD in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5% as we move into the future to 2030.
This amazing growth is attributed to a limited number of organ donors, and an increasingly aging population with chronic respiratory diseases. Rising R&D investment, technological advancement, and increasing incidence of chronic diseases are other reasons ready to boost this incredible sector.
Can they print kidneys really? Can they print bladders, hearts, gallbladders, and even arms? Take a listen and find out.
Dr Bruce scrubs up and shares some eye-popping stories from one of his favorite lab visits, a place where they're learning how to manufacture all kinds of body parts for medical implantation.
So slip on the green gown and don't forget to tie those bows at the back (whoops), it’s another dose of medical optimism coming your way! Nitrous! Scalpel!
The world is becoming an incredibly fantastic place with this one.

And for the record, when we're doing real work and not podcasting, you'll find Dr Bruce, The Global Futurist presenting here and PJ applying his digital marketing genius here. Enjoy!

Next Episode

#22 - Blowing Up The Planet To Save It

It doesn’t get scarier than this! After a listener request, we’re talking geoengineering schemes to solve climate change. You know, small things, like using nukes to knock planet Earth further away from the sun.
Dr Bruce divines the crazy from the casually insane, then details the schemes that serious scientists really are considering before going truly dark with the experiments people are conducting right now - without your permission.
Here are a few to get you thinking:

Space reflectors. Blocking a small proportion of sunlight before it reaches the Earth.
Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement. Grinding up, dispersing, and dissolving rocks such as limestone, silicates, or calcium hydroxide in the ocean to increase its ability to store carbon and directly ameliorate ocean acidification
Albedo enhancement. Increasing the reflectiveness of clouds or the land surface so that more of the Sun’s heat is reflected back into space.
Stratospheric aerosols. Introducing small, reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect some sunlight before it reaches the surface of the Earth.
Ocean Fertilisation. Adding nutrients to the ocean in selected locations to increase primary production which draws down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

WARNING: if this episode doesn’t scare you rigid, nothing will. Hey, has anyone still got some spare tickets to Mars?

And for the record, when we're doing real work and not podcasting, you'll find Dr Bruce, The Global Futurist presenting here and PJ applying his digital marketing genius here. Enjoy!