Physicists Find Evidence That The Universe Is A 'Giant Brain'

[dipsydoodle]

The idea of the universe as a 'giant brain' has been proposed by scientists - and science fiction writers - for decades.

But now physicists say there may be some evidence that it's actually true. In a sense.

According to a study published in Nature's Scientific Reports, the universe may be growing in the same way as a giant brain - with the electrical firing between brain cells 'mirrored' by the shape of expanding galaxies.

The results of a computer simulation suggest that "natural growth dynamics" - the way that systems evolve - are the same for different kinds of networks - whether its the internet, the human brain or the universe as a whole.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11/27/physicists-universe-giant-brain_n_2196346.html

[patrice]

1. Works for me, as long as we remember that it is possible that that is not the sum-total of it. nt

[Roy Rolling]

31. This just in

The GOP Science Committe released the statement "...if the universe is a giant brain we are agin it. We don't need no fancy intellectuals telling the planets what to do. We believe in planet rights."

[patrice]

32. Yep & that includes planet's rights to crash into a sun if they want to, dammit!

[silverweb]

2. Perfect.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]"God is the Universe, becoming aware of Itself."

I read that somewhere, years ago, and it stuck with me. It made sense to me then and it makes sense to me now, and this finding fits in perfectly.

The more we learn, the more we find we have so much more to learn....

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Universal consciousness is an old concept

and one which has always made sense to me from a very early age.
And WE are part of that whole concept.

[silverweb]

7. Exactly.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]We're all part of that One, which, it would appear, is still evolving -- and we influence that evolution. Totally mind blowing.

[rtassi]

25. mind blowing .. and completely liberating at the same time .

[Speck Tater]

4. So the reason God doesn't work miracles every day is...

given the distances involved between galactic "neurons", it takes God millions of years to form a single thought. So He doesn't prevent disasters because they happen so fast he doesn't have time to react. Anything that occurs quicker than a few billion years just goes by so fast God doesn't even notice it.

[NMDemDist2]

6. reminds me of the comic's song

A man was praying to god.
He said, “God ?”
God responded, “Yes?”
And the Guy said, ” Can I ask a question?”
“Go right ahead”, God said.

“God, what is a million years to you?”
God said, “A million years to me is only a second.”
The man wondered.
Then he asked, “God, what is a million dollars worth to you?”
God said, “A million dollars to me is a penny.”
So the man said, “God can I have a penny ?”
And God cheerfully said,
“Sure!…….just a second .”

[silverweb]

8. LOL

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Good one!

[raidert05]

20. keeping that one...

stored away for just the right time

[NMDemDist2]

33. welcome to DU raidert05!!

you are welcome to use as needed

[raidert05]

34. Thank You

[JDPriestly]

24. Maybe He is just old and can't think as fast anymore.

Maybe that is why He hasn't parted the Red Sea or turned water to wine for a couple of thousand years or more.

[Posteritatis]

5. That's a pretty spectacular example of What's Wrong With Science Reporting. (nt)

[Silent3]

12. +1 n/t

[AtheistCrusader]

22. Exactly.

The paper doesn't say any of that shit.

[cthulu2016]

27. Spoken like someone trapped in a Giant Brain

Kidding. I agree 100%. The article sucks.

[dorkulon]

35. Unbelievers will perish! All Hail Giant Brain!

[libodem]

9. The truth is stranger

Than fiction. Where's my, Tao of Physics, book?

[kestrel91316]

10. Perhaps the universe is God's brain.

[SHRED]

11. This receptor needs more cannabinoids then

Too much violence here on the synapses known as "earth".

[patrice]

26. +! rofl . . .

[Kennah]

13. Then I think we humans, collectively, are Pinky

[ElboRuum]

16. Narf. Or perhaps poit. n/t

[Zoeisright]

14. Then why are so many people so unbelievably stupid?

[Kennah]

46. Theory on Conservation of Intelligence

There is a finite quantity of intelligence in the universe while the population is expanding.

[lobodons]

15. Universe is just a tiny atom

Universe is just a tiny atom in God's fingernail.

(1:05 mark)

[dorkulon]

18. Physicist finds really good weed, leading to super-groovy hypothesis

Not buying it. Huffpo is not the place for sound science coverage.

[PADemD]

28. Universe Grows Like a Giant Brain

The universe may grow like a giant brain, according to a new computer simulation.

The results, published Nov.16 in the journal Nature's Scientific Reports, suggest that some undiscovered, fundamental laws may govern the growth of systems large and small, from the electrical firing between brain cells and growth of social networks to the expansion of galaxies.

http://www.space.com/18630-universe-grows-like-brain.html

[dorkulon]

30. OK, so notice the differences.

This article you posted says it all in the first line: "The universe may grow like a giant brain, according to a new computer simulation."

That's a reasonable report, not overstating the case for the sake of sensationalism. It's a hypothesis, based on a simulation.

Now look at the HuffPo headline: "Physicists Find Evidence That The Universe Is A 'Giant Brain'"

OMG WE'RE ALL NEURONS AND SHIT!!!111

[bananas]

49. Best part is at the end: "there is some missing understanding of how nature works" Krioukov said

The last sentences from your link: http://www.space.com/18630-universe-grows-like-brain.html

The eerie similarity between networks large and small is unlikely to be a coincidence, Krioukov said.

"For a physicist it's an immediate signal that there is some missing understanding of how nature works," Krioukov said.

It's more likely that some unknown law governs the way networks grow and change, from the smallest brain cells to the growth of mega-galaxies, Krioukov said.

"This result suggests that maybe we should start looking for it," Krioukov told LiveScience.

[Faygo Kid]

19. Stunning image! Photo of the universe as a brain

D'oh!

[Warpy]

21. Uh, duh

I pointed out the similarity of the "map" of galactic superclusters to brain tissue months ago. They're nearly identical, in fact.

Whether or not that "brain" is self aware is rather beside the point. What seems clear is that it's an integrated system of some sort. What also seems clear is that the sheer size and complexity precludes much interference in the lives of a bunch of apelike creatures on a tiny planet around a small star at the edge of a so-so galaxy in a smallish cluster of galaxies.

The larger or smaller we go when we start looking at things, the weirder things get.

[gtar100]

23. That's not evidence... that's making an analogy for a proposed model based on a known system.

And that's giving them the benefit of the doubt. We've got a long way to go before we can even see the complete structure of the universe, let alone attribute a functionality to it.

[Xipe Totec]

29. When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all. nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

36. It takes 240,000,000 years for our galaxy to make a full rotation....

So,...if the Universe IS a giant brain...

It would fail the "Think Fast!" test.

[Kalidurga]

37. Awesome...

Is that true for the other universes as well?

[Posteritatis]

38. It's not even true for this one. HuffPo made up their interpretation. (nt)

[Kalidurga]

40. Well the truth is rather mundane

and mundane doesn't sell very well.

[ashling]

39. Is there any way to put the Universe on Prozac?

Ativan?

[Trajan]

41. I agree with the premise that the evolution of systems are similar ....

The human brain contains structures that grow; that are arranged into networks, on the fly, and are constantly rearranged according to interaction with the natural world .... There seems to be a universal morphology that is in effect for all evolving systems, but this fact doesn't imply that the function of dissimilar systems are the same just because their evolution is similar ...

Neural network evolution is similar to weather system development, but this doesn't mean brains cause precipitation, or clouds can think ... It means nature provides for evolutionary development in a 'natural' manner, no matter what object is involved.

In short: Common morphology does not imply common functionality.

[yodermon]

44. aw, c'mon.

[Blue Owl]

42. The answer to the great question of life is "Get a Brain Morans!"

n/t

[progressoid]

43. The big brain am winning again! I am the GREETEST! Now I am leaving Earth forever, for NO RAISIN!

[calimary]

45. Giant brain? That's no universe! That's my husband!

[jberryhill]

47. The bad news? It has Alzheimer's

[jsr]

48. Or a giant colon