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Fantastic nervous systems and what powers them
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Nearly all living creatures on this planet have one form or another of a nervous system that transmits sensory data to the creature's brain.
What's really interesting to me is that this data is transmitted with electronic signals. So, my question is if our bodies use electricity to power our nervous systems, then do we naturally generate electricity?
It would be fascinating if I could understand how we naturally harness this power. I can only imagine what leaps our species could make with bioelectric power generators and circuitry.
biology electricity
asked 58 mins ago
Austin Trigloff
245
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Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
Nearly all living creatures on this planet have one form or another of a nervous system that transmits sensory data to the creature's brain.
What's really interesting to me is that this data is transmitted with electronic signals. So, my question is if our bodies use electricity to power our nervous systems, then do we naturally generate electricity?
It would be fascinating if I could understand how we naturally harness this power. I can only imagine what leaps our species could make with bioelectric power generators and circuitry.
biology electricity
asked 58 mins ago
Austin Trigloff
245
New contributor
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
"Data is transmitted with electronic signals": no it isn't. The nervous systems of living creatures on Earth work mainly with chemical neurotransmitters; the electric signals measured by electrocardiograms and encephalograms are side-effects. Even the propagation of nervous impulses along the axons of neurons is electrochemical. (This is why the speed of nervous impulses is so low, on the order of 20 meters/second at best; electric signals would travel very very much faster.)
– AlexP
38 mins ago
Thanks for the correction. I
– Austin Trigloff
20 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
Nearly all living creatures on this planet have one form or another of a nervous system that transmits sensory data to the creature's brain.
What's really interesting to me is that this data is transmitted with electronic signals. So, my question is if our bodies use electricity to power our nervous systems, then do we naturally generate electricity?
It would be fascinating if I could understand how we naturally harness this power. I can only imagine what leaps our species could make with bioelectric power generators and circuitry.
biology electricity
asked 58 mins ago
Austin Trigloff
245
New contributor
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Nearly all living creatures on this planet have one form or another of a nervous system that transmits sensory data to the creature's brain.
What's really interesting to me is that this data is transmitted with electronic signals. So, my question is if our bodies use electricity to power our nervous systems, then do we naturally generate electricity?
It would be fascinating if I could understand how we naturally harness this power. I can only imagine what leaps our species could make with bioelectric power generators and circuitry.
biology electricity
biology electricity
asked 58 mins ago
Austin Trigloff
245
New contributor
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 58 mins ago
Austin Trigloff
245
New contributor
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 58 mins ago
Austin Trigloff
245
New contributor
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 58 mins ago
Austin Trigloff
245
asked 58 mins ago
Austin Trigloff
245
245
New contributor
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
"Data is transmitted with electronic signals": no it isn't. The nervous systems of living creatures on Earth work mainly with chemical neurotransmitters; the electric signals measured by electrocardiograms and encephalograms are side-effects. Even the propagation of nervous impulses along the axons of neurons is electrochemical. (This is why the speed of nervous impulses is so low, on the order of 20 meters/second at best; electric signals would travel very very much faster.)
– AlexP
38 mins ago
Thanks for the correction. I
– Austin Trigloff
20 mins ago
add a comment |Â
"Data is transmitted with electronic signals": no it isn't. The nervous systems of living creatures on Earth work mainly with chemical neurotransmitters; the electric signals measured by electrocardiograms and encephalograms are side-effects. Even the propagation of nervous impulses along the axons of neurons is electrochemical. (This is why the speed of nervous impulses is so low, on the order of 20 meters/second at best; electric signals would travel very very much faster.)
– AlexP
38 mins ago
Thanks for the correction. I
– Austin Trigloff
20 mins ago
"Data is transmitted with electronic signals": no it isn't. The nervous systems of living creatures on Earth work mainly with chemical neurotransmitters; the electric signals measured by electrocardiograms and encephalograms are side-effects. Even the propagation of nervous impulses along the axons of neurons is electrochemical. (This is why the speed of nervous impulses is so low, on the order of 20 meters/second at best; electric signals would travel very very much faster.)
– AlexP
38 mins ago
"Data is transmitted with electronic signals": no it isn't. The nervous systems of living creatures on Earth work mainly with chemical neurotransmitters; the electric signals measured by electrocardiograms and encephalograms are side-effects. Even the propagation of nervous impulses along the axons of neurons is electrochemical. (This is why the speed of nervous impulses is so low, on the order of 20 meters/second at best; electric signals would travel very very much faster.)
– AlexP
38 mins ago
Thanks for the correction. I
– Austin Trigloff
20 mins ago
Thanks for the correction. I
– Austin Trigloff
20 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
We do indeed generate electricity, though it is a tiny amount. The electrical energy available from neurons firing is somewhere around 85mW. There's plenty of power going around through the brain. The brain consumes 20W of power in the form of sugars, but most of it does not go to the electrical impulses.
For some points of reference, a USB device is allowed to draw up to 2500mW (2.5W), and that can go up to 10W with some negotiations. A hairdryer may consume 1000W and the Nisan Leaf comes with a 80,000W engine!
We generate electricity by ion pumps. These are small molecular structures on the surface of neurons which use energy (in the form of ATP) to create an electrical potential. If the neuron fires, this potential changes rapidly, propagating a tiny electric charge.
The power of the body is not in its electrical subsystem. The power of the body is in its ability to carry fuel (glucose) and oxidizer (oxygen) to all the cells in the body. If the body wants to transmit power, it uses these tools rather than electricity. Your muscles are stimulated by electrical impulses, but the brute lifting is done purely chemically.
We have looked at harnessing that bioelectric energy. There have been efforts to make blood sugar meters that are embedded under your skin without batteries. They rely on blood sugar and blood oxygen to react within a fuel-cell, generating the power to manage the meter!
answered 39 mins ago
Cort Ammon
103k15180367
Fascinating. I had no idea the body uses sugars to this extent.
– Austin Trigloff
17 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
According to this article our brain generates only 0.085 Watts. And about leaps. Suppose you have a modern processor and supply it with significantly more volts. Will the processor work faster? There is a thin area for overclocking but generally it will be destroyed by high voltage. I suppose the brain has the same problem. It just has a specific voltage and current with which it works, but it won't work with higher parameters.
And the human brain is currently a black box. No one knows how we do 1+1=2. So adding additional circuits does not really make sense.
I think the idea of Elon Musk of a direct interface of a human brain and a computer is much more promising than changing the brain itself. A direct interface allows us to be better at the following tasks:
- Perfect memory
- Fast mathematical computations
- Better remote communication. Communication may even be better than oral.
- Adding additional sensors (night vision, radiation measurements)
And the interface does not need to understand how the brain works. It only needs to be able to communicate with it.
answered 27 mins ago
keiv.fly
43415
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
We do indeed generate electricity, though it is a tiny amount. The electrical energy available from neurons firing is somewhere around 85mW. There's plenty of power going around through the brain. The brain consumes 20W of power in the form of sugars, but most of it does not go to the electrical impulses.
For some points of reference, a USB device is allowed to draw up to 2500mW (2.5W), and that can go up to 10W with some negotiations. A hairdryer may consume 1000W and the Nisan Leaf comes with a 80,000W engine!
We generate electricity by ion pumps. These are small molecular structures on the surface of neurons which use energy (in the form of ATP) to create an electrical potential. If the neuron fires, this potential changes rapidly, propagating a tiny electric charge.
The power of the body is not in its electrical subsystem. The power of the body is in its ability to carry fuel (glucose) and oxidizer (oxygen) to all the cells in the body. If the body wants to transmit power, it uses these tools rather than electricity. Your muscles are stimulated by electrical impulses, but the brute lifting is done purely chemically.
We have looked at harnessing that bioelectric energy. There have been efforts to make blood sugar meters that are embedded under your skin without batteries. They rely on blood sugar and blood oxygen to react within a fuel-cell, generating the power to manage the meter!
answered 39 mins ago
Cort Ammon
103k15180367
Fascinating. I had no idea the body uses sugars to this extent.
– Austin Trigloff
17 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
We do indeed generate electricity, though it is a tiny amount. The electrical energy available from neurons firing is somewhere around 85mW. There's plenty of power going around through the brain. The brain consumes 20W of power in the form of sugars, but most of it does not go to the electrical impulses.
For some points of reference, a USB device is allowed to draw up to 2500mW (2.5W), and that can go up to 10W with some negotiations. A hairdryer may consume 1000W and the Nisan Leaf comes with a 80,000W engine!
We generate electricity by ion pumps. These are small molecular structures on the surface of neurons which use energy (in the form of ATP) to create an electrical potential. If the neuron fires, this potential changes rapidly, propagating a tiny electric charge.
The power of the body is not in its electrical subsystem. The power of the body is in its ability to carry fuel (glucose) and oxidizer (oxygen) to all the cells in the body. If the body wants to transmit power, it uses these tools rather than electricity. Your muscles are stimulated by electrical impulses, but the brute lifting is done purely chemically.
We have looked at harnessing that bioelectric energy. There have been efforts to make blood sugar meters that are embedded under your skin without batteries. They rely on blood sugar and blood oxygen to react within a fuel-cell, generating the power to manage the meter!
answered 39 mins ago
Cort Ammon
103k15180367
Fascinating. I had no idea the body uses sugars to this extent.
– Austin Trigloff
17 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
We do indeed generate electricity, though it is a tiny amount. The electrical energy available from neurons firing is somewhere around 85mW. There's plenty of power going around through the brain. The brain consumes 20W of power in the form of sugars, but most of it does not go to the electrical impulses.
For some points of reference, a USB device is allowed to draw up to 2500mW (2.5W), and that can go up to 10W with some negotiations. A hairdryer may consume 1000W and the Nisan Leaf comes with a 80,000W engine!
We generate electricity by ion pumps. These are small molecular structures on the surface of neurons which use energy (in the form of ATP) to create an electrical potential. If the neuron fires, this potential changes rapidly, propagating a tiny electric charge.
The power of the body is not in its electrical subsystem. The power of the body is in its ability to carry fuel (glucose) and oxidizer (oxygen) to all the cells in the body. If the body wants to transmit power, it uses these tools rather than electricity. Your muscles are stimulated by electrical impulses, but the brute lifting is done purely chemically.
We have looked at harnessing that bioelectric energy. There have been efforts to make blood sugar meters that are embedded under your skin without batteries. They rely on blood sugar and blood oxygen to react within a fuel-cell, generating the power to manage the meter!
answered 39 mins ago
Cort Ammon
103k15180367
We do indeed generate electricity, though it is a tiny amount. The electrical energy available from neurons firing is somewhere around 85mW. There's plenty of power going around through the brain. The brain consumes 20W of power in the form of sugars, but most of it does not go to the electrical impulses.
For some points of reference, a USB device is allowed to draw up to 2500mW (2.5W), and that can go up to 10W with some negotiations. A hairdryer may consume 1000W and the Nisan Leaf comes with a 80,000W engine!
We generate electricity by ion pumps. These are small molecular structures on the surface of neurons which use energy (in the form of ATP) to create an electrical potential. If the neuron fires, this potential changes rapidly, propagating a tiny electric charge.
The power of the body is not in its electrical subsystem. The power of the body is in its ability to carry fuel (glucose) and oxidizer (oxygen) to all the cells in the body. If the body wants to transmit power, it uses these tools rather than electricity. Your muscles are stimulated by electrical impulses, but the brute lifting is done purely chemically.
We have looked at harnessing that bioelectric energy. There have been efforts to make blood sugar meters that are embedded under your skin without batteries. They rely on blood sugar and blood oxygen to react within a fuel-cell, generating the power to manage the meter!
answered 39 mins ago
Cort Ammon
103k15180367
answered 39 mins ago
Cort Ammon
103k15180367
answered 39 mins ago
Cort Ammon
103k15180367
answered 39 mins ago
Cort Ammon
103k15180367
103k15180367
Fascinating. I had no idea the body uses sugars to this extent.
– Austin Trigloff
17 mins ago
add a comment |Â
Fascinating. I had no idea the body uses sugars to this extent.
– Austin Trigloff
17 mins ago
Fascinating. I had no idea the body uses sugars to this extent.
– Austin Trigloff
17 mins ago
Fascinating. I had no idea the body uses sugars to this extent.
– Austin Trigloff
17 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
According to this article our brain generates only 0.085 Watts. And about leaps. Suppose you have a modern processor and supply it with significantly more volts. Will the processor work faster? There is a thin area for overclocking but generally it will be destroyed by high voltage. I suppose the brain has the same problem. It just has a specific voltage and current with which it works, but it won't work with higher parameters.
And the human brain is currently a black box. No one knows how we do 1+1=2. So adding additional circuits does not really make sense.
I think the idea of Elon Musk of a direct interface of a human brain and a computer is much more promising than changing the brain itself. A direct interface allows us to be better at the following tasks:
- Perfect memory
- Fast mathematical computations
- Better remote communication. Communication may even be better than oral.
- Adding additional sensors (night vision, radiation measurements)
And the interface does not need to understand how the brain works. It only needs to be able to communicate with it.
answered 27 mins ago
keiv.fly
43415
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
According to this article our brain generates only 0.085 Watts. And about leaps. Suppose you have a modern processor and supply it with significantly more volts. Will the processor work faster? There is a thin area for overclocking but generally it will be destroyed by high voltage. I suppose the brain has the same problem. It just has a specific voltage and current with which it works, but it won't work with higher parameters.
And the human brain is currently a black box. No one knows how we do 1+1=2. So adding additional circuits does not really make sense.
I think the idea of Elon Musk of a direct interface of a human brain and a computer is much more promising than changing the brain itself. A direct interface allows us to be better at the following tasks:
- Perfect memory
- Fast mathematical computations
- Better remote communication. Communication may even be better than oral.
- Adding additional sensors (night vision, radiation measurements)
And the interface does not need to understand how the brain works. It only needs to be able to communicate with it.
answered 27 mins ago
keiv.fly
43415
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
According to this article our brain generates only 0.085 Watts. And about leaps. Suppose you have a modern processor and supply it with significantly more volts. Will the processor work faster? There is a thin area for overclocking but generally it will be destroyed by high voltage. I suppose the brain has the same problem. It just has a specific voltage and current with which it works, but it won't work with higher parameters.
And the human brain is currently a black box. No one knows how we do 1+1=2. So adding additional circuits does not really make sense.
I think the idea of Elon Musk of a direct interface of a human brain and a computer is much more promising than changing the brain itself. A direct interface allows us to be better at the following tasks:
- Perfect memory
- Fast mathematical computations
- Better remote communication. Communication may even be better than oral.
- Adding additional sensors (night vision, radiation measurements)
And the interface does not need to understand how the brain works. It only needs to be able to communicate with it.
answered 27 mins ago
keiv.fly
43415
According to this article our brain generates only 0.085 Watts. And about leaps. Suppose you have a modern processor and supply it with significantly more volts. Will the processor work faster? There is a thin area for overclocking but generally it will be destroyed by high voltage. I suppose the brain has the same problem. It just has a specific voltage and current with which it works, but it won't work with higher parameters.
And the human brain is currently a black box. No one knows how we do 1+1=2. So adding additional circuits does not really make sense.
I think the idea of Elon Musk of a direct interface of a human brain and a computer is much more promising than changing the brain itself. A direct interface allows us to be better at the following tasks:
- Perfect memory
- Fast mathematical computations
- Better remote communication. Communication may even be better than oral.
- Adding additional sensors (night vision, radiation measurements)
And the interface does not need to understand how the brain works. It only needs to be able to communicate with it.
answered 27 mins ago
keiv.fly
43415
answered 27 mins ago
keiv.fly
43415
answered 27 mins ago
keiv.fly
43415
answered 27 mins ago
keiv.fly
43415
43415
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Austin Trigloff is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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"Data is transmitted with electronic signals": no it isn't. The nervous systems of living creatures on Earth work mainly with chemical neurotransmitters; the electric signals measured by electrocardiograms and encephalograms are side-effects. Even the propagation of nervous impulses along the axons of neurons is electrochemical. (This is why the speed of nervous impulses is so low, on the order of 20 meters/second at best; electric signals would travel very very much faster.)
– AlexP
38 mins ago
Thanks for the correction. I
– Austin Trigloff
20 mins ago