'Brain waves' project launched by Royal Society
A major investigation into the impact of brain research was launched today by the Royal Society.
The "Brain Waves" project will carry out a series of wide-ranging reviews on new developments in neuroscience and their implications.
A group of experts led by Professor Colin Blakemore will look at areas of research that may lead to ways of enhancing memory, intelligence and mental health.
The scientists will also address concerns about the "militarisation" of neuroscience and the development of biological weapons which affect the brain.
Other issues include crime prediction and surveillance techniques that focus on human behaviour.
A series of four reports will be published after the project concludes in 2011.
Prof Blakemore said: "Our increasing understanding of the brain and associated advances in technologies to study the brain, including the human brain, are beginning to give us the tools to improve the treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and mental illnesses, including depression and schizophrenia.
"But these advances will also increase our insights into normal human behaviour and mental well-being, as well as giving the possibility of enhancement, manipulation and degradation of brain function.
"Brain research is likely to have huge implications for society. We need to do something that scientists usually don't like to do - to speculate about the future. There's a lot to think about and we must begin now the process of providing the best possible information in areas of public policy such as health, education, law, and security.
"Progress in neuroscience is going to throw up all sorts of questions about personality, identity, responsibility and liberty. We need to be prepared to answer and respond to those questions."
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Daniel Smith - a long time ago, in a galaxy far away just north of Watford, Daniel fancied himself as a scientist but turned out to be the worst scientist since that bloke who mapped out all those canals on Mars that turned out to be scratches on his telescope's lens. Luckily, he is now not working on the Large Hadron Collider inadvertently creating a black hole that would swallow the world but is safely behind a desk writing this blog, bringing you the fantastical underbelly of nature... weird science.
