Method of the Year 2010: Optogenetics - by Nature Video

This video shows how scientists can control the behaviour of cells simply by switching on a light. The technique, known as optogenetics, is teaching us about everything from how we wake up to how we learn. That's why Nature Methods has named optogenetics as its Method of the Year 2010. Read more at www.nature.com/nmeth/focus/moy2010/index­.html

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  Science & Technology

[Kemanorel Kin]

Great video. It's nice to not have the explanations dumbed down or overhyped.

[satori85]

Ummm, what? I think you are missing a part of this story. It would not work on anybody who has not received the treatment to produce light gated ion channels. Secondly it would be very difficult to penetrate the chest. Third and lastly, people rely on pace makers currently, a device that is susceptible to EMP's. Your overall post was some what bothersome and uneducated but the most glaring problem was the use of "bioterroism". 

[Rebecca Benizri]

There is no way for them to get the virus into us through our food. maybe, if they had a super virus that can survive our digestive process, and can then manage to get into cells (maybe it will phagocytosed by a macrophage and manage to survive the phagolysosome enzymes) you could get it into the somatic cells at the best and they will be killed off in a few weeks anyways.... So I wish any future biochemical warfare terrorists luck with that!

[ruthazer]

Yes, they feed us, clothe us, and help us cure disease.

As an animal yourself, if you don't eat them, then you are competing with them for food and land.

[ruthazer]

They don't need fiber optics to control your brain. The ultimate mind control using light is the television.

[ruthazer]

Go back to your cave.

[ruthazer]

If there is a terrorist who can get a virus into the general food supply, optogenetics is the last thing we have to worry about.

[Je suis Jozi]

Cutting edge stuff

[neurocapable]

There are viral vectors that target specific neuronal subtypes as well as other specific tissue. It's always the affinity that is the problem. Sometimes there can be as little as 1% infection rates. The question is - could these low infection rates per exposure increase with successive administrations through the food supply? If so, you have a viable bioweapon. Why not just stop their hearts with the infection? Because if they've already taken the poison, you can extort them; light as a weapon.

[Nayeem Murshed]

That actually makes a lot of sense.... even from a scientific perspective. It's still flawed because the virus would still have to somehow identify and integrate itself into a specific neuron type... It's not as simple as the video makes it out to be. If you read deeper into the field you realize these "bio-terrorism" scares aren't as feasible as one may thing.

[neurocapable]

you're clearly not very creative.

Step 1: administer the virus through food supply

Step 2: export cellphones and other electronic devices with frequency-specific electromagnetic radiation capacities for the delivery of the light

Step 3: turn it on.

You've embarrassed yourself. Never underestimate the ingenuity of someone who wants to see the world burn.