In 1990 The Human Genome Project Began to map and sequence The human Genome. Today in 2018 A research company Known as "Nectome", Pitch their Brain preserving technique "Vitrifxation"; which is also known as Aldehyde stabilized cryo Preservation. The Company has successfully preserved a pigs brain and was awarded 80,000 dollars. Nectome is currently collaborating with Edward Boyden, who is a top neuroscientists at MIT; To improve The process of preserving Connectomes . Connetctomes Are a Webb of synapses that connects the Neurons in a brain. Neurons are your thoughts, memories, and feelings; They are everything that makes "you, you".
The Team at Nectome has been working with computer scientists to create a simulation of a preserved human brain, The Idea is to relative the Information That is present in the Anatomical layout of the brain. When a brain is "Dead", It is similar to a computer being turned off; The data is there But not accessible, at least until now. The largest problem with copying a human brain and its memories lie with The current resolution that we can see the Connectomes. The team at Nectome has solved this problem by creating a better way to preserve A brain.
A brain connectome is extremely complicated with a single nerve connecting to 8000 other nerves, that are also in different patterns. The end goal of Nectome would be to preserve a human brain copy its nerve patterns and recreate them digitally and potentially create an Artificial intelligence based of the brain. In February Nectome acquired a brain of an elderly woman from California and was able to preform the preservation procedure 2 hours after death; this was the teams first attempt to preserve a human brain based on the teams new procedure. The Brian did suffer damage, but is still the best preserved human brain to date. This brain will be cut into thin slices and studied to further the teams project and reach the goal of simulating a humans Mined.
"Our mission is to Preserve Your brain well enough to Keep all of its memories intact".
"Currently we can preserve the connectomes of an animals brain, and are working on extending our techniques to
human brains". (Direct quotes from the teams mission statement.)
This service will not be offered commercially until a protocol is established for carrying out this procedure. Through this, the Ethics and Medical communities can have round table discussions. Nectome has met with and consulted lawyers in the state of California who are familiar with, "The End Of Life Act"; which allows doctor assisted suicide for termly ill patients. McGill University Neuroscience Michel Hendricks Believes that Brain storage for purpose of Reanimation, Delivers a false scene of hope, and the promises of resurrection in ways that technologies cannot deliver.
Despite the Negative feedback from within the science community and controversy surrounding this idea, Nectome Is currently Taking deposits of 10000, that is fully refundable. To date 25 people have made deposits and await for their brains to be preserved. One of the individuals is 32 year old Investor, Sam Altman who is the founder of the Y Combinator Investment Program. All pitches that are excepted by the group Of elate Investors receive 120,000 dollars. The Team from Nectom will be pitching their Idea some time in March. Nectrome has received substantial support for its developmental Technologies, and has raised a wrapping one Million Dollars, Most of the money raised has been through grants from the Us Government. Most of the funds raised are being spent on The teams Laboratory At MIT.
Nectome Like Most Tech or Hard science startups, will not have a huge commercial market and wont sell well much in the way of startups in quantum computers. However, as long as the team can count on continuous investments, the Relative success for nectrome will gradually increase as well as other technological Applications become relevant to future innovations.
