Very simple system showing brain like behaviours

The popular article "Human Brain-Like Functions Emerge in Neuromorphic Metallic Nanowire Network" published in Scitechdaily represents findings, which are very interesting from TGD point of view. The original article "Emergent dynamics of neuromorphic networks" by Diaz-Alvarez et al is published in Nature.

Consider first the findings.

1. One can say that the self-organization process corresponds to the system "struggling" to find optimal current pathways. This process involves fluctuations akin to those found in memorization, learning and forgetting processes of brain. The temporal flutuations also resemble the processes by which brain becomes alert or returns to calm.
   
   
2. The metallic Ag nanowires become coated with a polymer (PVP) insulating layer with about 1 nm thickness. Also metallic junctions between two nanowires acting as a resistive elements analogous to synapse are formed. The average diameter and length of nanowires was measured to be 360 +/- 110 nm and 14 +/- 5 μ m, respectively.
   

   Remark: These scales correspond to biological length scales (p-adic length scales (L(161) and L(172)).
   
   

3. There are suggestive connections with biology. PVP polymer is an organic compound with repetive active part which consist of two parts: CH₂ and aromatic Carbon 5-cycle with one C replaced with N and one CH₂ replaced with C =O. In TGD framework this could be relevant for the self-organization - maybe the magnetic bodies of PVP polymers are in an essential role.
   
   
4. The formation of low resistance pathways between probes contacting the networks induces a transition from low conductance state to high-conductance state at given voltage threshold usually below 10 V. This occurs even for millimeter distance between probes. The weak independence on voltage suggests that the current flow is almost dissipation free - could dark supra currents at magnetic flux tubes be involved?
   
   

TGD predicts several a lot of new physics possibly relevant to the findings (see this and and this ).

1. Magnetic flux tubes (magnetic body, MB) carrying dark matter as phases with effective Planck constant h_eff=n×h₀ .
   
   
2. Zero energy ontology allowing to formulate quantum measurement theory without paradoxes. The possibility of time reversal is one dramatic prediction. Basic mental functions like memory would be completely universal phenomena and possessed in principle evan by elementary particles.
   
   
3. Also universality of cognition described in terms of p-adic (adelic physics) is predicted. Number theoretic vision realized as adelic physics predicts evolution as increase of the dimension of extension of rationals characterizing basic building bricks of space-time as surface.
   

   Self-organization involves generation of coherence and requires energy feed. Same applies to life. Self-organization would be also universal: the self-assembly aspect of self organization would be simply due dissipation at reverse time direction at the level of dark matter at magnetic body controlling the dynamics at the level of ordinary matter as master.
   
   

4. Quantum criticality is essential element of self-organization and the observed 1/f fuctuations could be interpreted as their signature. Note that 1/f fluctuations are observed also in the ordinary electric circuits and since also these involve self-organization aspects, dark matter in TGD sense might be involved.
   

   At quantum criticality long range fluctuations take place and correspond to the creation of phases with large h_eff and therefore of large quantum coherence length. Energy feed is however required and serves as analog of metabolic energy. Freezing of water could a good example about quantum criticality at the level of MB inducing ordinary criticality and leading to generation of complex structures at the level of ordinary matter. Snowflakes and the patterns observed by Emoto as a response to stimuli like emotional voices provide examples of this.
   

Consider now a possible TGD based interpretation.

1. The voltage feeds metabolic energy to the system by making current flow possible. The transition to high conductance state above critical voltage could correspond to minimal metablic energy feed needed to induce a phase transition generating Cooper pairs of dark Ag ions with h_eff> h at magnetic flux tubes so that current would become partially dark and conductance would increase. Also electrons could become dark and form Cooper pairs. The preservation of dark phase requires energy feed but the reduction of dissipation makes this possible.
   
   
2. Ag⁺ have cyclotron frequency of 2.8 Hz in "endogenous" magnetic field B_end= .2 Gauss assigned with living systems identified tentatively as the dark monopole flux carrying part of the Earth's magnetic field with nominal value B_E= .5 Gauss. Are the Cooper pairs of these ions involved? Also electronic Cooper pairs might be involved. Could the Coulomb energy ZeV for Cooper pair in critical voltage correspond to the cyclotron energy of the dark Ag⁺Cooper pair or of electronic Cooper pairs?
   
   
3. EEG is basic aspect of brain function of vertebrates. Could it be that Ag⁺ ions and also
   the possible ionization of the aromatic cycles make possible analog of EEG around 2.8 Hz?
   
   

In this framework the findings discussed in the article could be assigned with system which are very simple life forms. To gain improved understanding a model for the magnetic body of the system would be needed.

See the short article article The emergence of human brain like functions in neuromorphic metallic nanowire network, the longer article Life-like properties observed in a very simple system, or the chapter with the same title.

For a summary of earlier postings see Latest progress in TGD.

Articles and other material related to TGD.