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back to article Boffins grow brains in petri dish

For a chunk of the 20th century, SF writers played around with various “brain in a jar” scenarios, and now, it’s come true. Well, only a little bit: it’s not a complete brain, and it’s a petri dish rather than a jar, but according to University of Pittsburgh researchers, they’ve managed to culture rat hippocampus cells, …

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  1. mafoo
    Coat

    Zombies will be happy

    BRAAAAAINS

    there I said it

    9 0
  2. stucs201
    Facepalm

    New icon time already?

    So we've only just had a icon update, yet this makes me think a brain in a jar icon may have been nice.

    2 0
  3. Yag
    Terminator

    I, For one...

    ... welcome our new Brain-in-a-petri-dish overlords.

    5 2
  4. Simon Neill
    Joke

    12 seconds?

    Thats a lot longer than the tools I work with.....Can we buy these and get them implanted in people?

    13 0
    1. Gannon (J.) Dick
      Reply Icon
      Stop

      wait ...

      You mean I'm supposed to have a Facebook page AND a brain ?

      1 0
  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Explains where Nu Labour got theirs

    etc etc etc

    0 0
  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Happy

    Brain in jar icon.

    Nice idea.

    What's it mean?

    0 0
  7. Juan Inamillion
    Coffee/keyboard

    @12 seconds?

    Keyboard!!

    0 0
  8. Cliff

    ROTM

    This is how sentience starts you know...

    0 0
  9. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Give 'em human rights and the vote...

    Then make millions of the things, send 'em to work and impose income tax on them. Bingo! Instant economic recovery! In a test tube!

    0 0
  10. fredds
    Facepalm

    Alternative

    Or you could have the brains from Australian politicians, they aren't using them at the moment.

    0 0
  11. Paratrooping Parrot
    Terminator

    How long

    I just wonder how long before they start to create brains that think in the way they want you to think. A new form of eugenics.

    1 0
    1. Mako
      Reply Icon

      I wouldn't worry.

      The only thing a cultured brain-in-a-dish is likely to think is, "AAAAAHHH! OH MY GOD! I'M A BLOODY BRAIN IN A DISH!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"

      2 0
      1. The last doughnut
        Reply Icon
        Childcatcher

        Yes, but

        Given its 12-second lifespan, it is likely to have a second thought. Then it really is time to worry.

        0 0
  12. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    Oh joy ...

    They've just created the next generation of recruitment/HR consultants.

    1 0
  13. Mike Flugennock
    Thumb Up

    "Let me die... please, let me die...!"

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYebuwQ8RPw

    0 0
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