The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters #1371
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Mar 10, 2026 Professor Ed Dutton, an academic commentator on psychology and society, joins to analyze bystander freeze and status signalling in public crises. He and the hosts debate synthetic brains and ethical dilemmas around brain emulations. They also unpack the government’s social cohesion strategy, focusing on integration, surveillance risks, and likely polarizing effects.
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Supercomputer Recreates Mouse Cortex With Virtual Body
- Researchers modelled an entire mouse cortex on the Fugaku supercomputer including 26 billion synapses and 86 brain regions.
- Josh explains the virtual mouse includes a body so simulated whisker touch activates the same modeled regions as a real mouse.
Neurochemistry Limits Perfect Brain Emulation
- Josh highlights a core difference between biological and computational brains: neurochemical signalling versus electrical logic gates, which may limit perfect equivalence.
- He warns modelling neurons is feasible but replicating neurochemistry and dynamics remains a major bottleneck.
Whole Fly Brain Emulation Produces Realistic Behavior
- A full fly brain emulation (Drosophila melanogaster) with 125,000 neurons produced multiple behaviors and reached ~95% predictive accuracy.
- Josh notes this is the first closed perception-action loop for a whole-brain emulation controlling a simulated body.