Scientists are attempting to create a supercomputer that will be a simulation of the entire human brain. The goal of the endeavor, which will probably take about 12 years to complete, is to increase the medical community's knowledge about how to fight neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
According to MailOnline, the proposed "brain" will feature "thousands of three-dimensional images built around a semi-circular 'cockpit.'" and may even help in "shedding light into how we think, and make decisions."
Lead researcher Professor Henry Markram is based in Switzerland. He will be working with scientists from across Europe including the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute at Cambridge, UK.The computer will be housed at a facility in Dusseldorf, Germany.MailOnline reports that Markham said: "The complexity of the brain, with its billions of interconnected neurons, makes it hard for neuroscientists to truly understand how it works.Simulating it will make it much easier – allowing them to manipulate and measure any aspect of the brain. This will, when successful, help two billion people annually who suffer from some type of brain impairment."
