On Monday we were treated to another public lecture in the series “The Brain and Its Mysteries” by Ethan Newnham. The focus was “Why is your brain so good?” and the presentation was both captivating and enlightening. Ethan’s depth of knowledge and engaging style made the complex subject matter accessible and fascinating.
Ethan began by contrasting real and artificial neural networks, emphasizing the incredible capabilities of the human brain. He asked us to ponder what makes our brains exceptional, noting that the brain’s ability to perform tasks critical for survival is key. Unlike computers, which excel at simple computations, the human brain is adept at complex tasks like facial recognition, crucial for social interaction and survival.
One of the most striking parts of the presentation was when Ethan discussed the role of neurons. He showcased an experiment from his work at Cortical Labs, where neurons grown on a Multi-Electrode Array could learn to play the game Pong. This experiment demonstrated that neurons could self-organize and learn, even outside a living organism — a scientific brealthrough.
Ethan provided a vivid description of how the neurons, starting as pluripotent stem cells, were grown into functional brain cells capable of electrical communication. The visualisations of neuron cultures and the recordings of their electrical activity brought the science to life, making the intricate processes more tangible for the audience.
Another highlight was the comparison between biological neurons and artificial intelligence. Remarkably, human neurons outperformed state-of-the-art AI in sample efficiency. This underscored the brain’s incredible adaptability and efficiency, driven by its capacity for neuroplasticity. However, AI easily outperformed biological neurons when trained with more data over vastly more training cycles.
Ethan concluded by reinforcing the idea that our brains are exceptional because of their neurons’ ability to self-organize and adapt to new environments. He also introduced us to the free energy principle, explaining how different types of stimulation encouraged neurons to learn, further illustrating the brain’s complex learning mechanisms.
Overall, Ethan Newnham’s lecture was a profound exploration of why our brains are so adept at essential survival tasks. His ability to communicate complex neuroscience in an engaging and understandable way left a lasting impression, highlighting both the marvels of the human brain and the exciting future of neural research.
Ethan’s presentation slides are in the course resources.