Thinking outside the box

Henry Markram, director of the Blue Brain Project, made the announcement at TED Global 2009 in Oxford, stating that a realistic digital 3D model was entirely possible. While ascending into the realms of science fiction, the potential applications are far more grounded. For example, animal experimentation remains a contentious issue, but Markram believes a working digital model would resolve this. With approximately 2billion people suffering from mental illness, it could be an invaluable resource in finding treatments. Markram and his team focused their attentions on the neocortical column and understanding the structures that make it up. The neocortex is only found in mammals and is the part of the brain thought to be responsible for higher functions such as complex social interactions and conscious thought. The branches of neurons intersect in millions of locations and in each location and each synapse, communication occurs. Every neuron is different and over time the number of neurons has increased to the point where the brain has outgrown its space, folding in on itself, to create the grooves and wrinkles we now associate with it. This process allows the surface area to increase and make more space available for the billions of neurons. By working on the principle that mathematics underlies the models of the brain, Markram has established that each of these neurons has a mathematical representation. Nevertheless, to simulate a human brain would require a huge computer – according to Markram, one laptop for every single neuron. Markram has faced the challenge by working with Blue Gene, a computer architecture project designed to produce several supercomputers. This IBM 'supercomputer' was designed to reach operating speeds in the petaflops range, with the latest in the series capable of reaching speeds in excess of 3pflops. With such power behind them, Markram's team has been able to stimulate a simulated brain with images. For example, by 'showing' the brain a rose, Markram is not only able to follow the energy, but also view 'ghostly electrical columns' in the neocortex. The next goal is to build a fully functioning artificial human brain by 2019 and, during his address at TED Global, Markram was not afraid to state the potential impact of the project. "The universe has evolved a structure for it to become aware of itself," he said. "We're about to create another such structure in the digital universe we ourselves have created."