Israeli scientists have discovered genetic tags that are left in the brain by our memories. They believe these markers can be used to extract memories from the brain - posthumously.
The researchers hope this discovery could be of great value to society. For example, the police will be able to read and play the memories of a murder victim. In an interview with New Scientist, scientists call such prospects a "fascinating proposition", but emphasize that this is still a matter of the future: right now, technology does not allow this.
"You will need to get there very quickly, as the proteins will begin to degrade within minutes of death," says Dr. Claire Warburton of the University of Bristol.
The brain stores memories in new connections between neurons. using new proteins that are controlled by genes. Different experiences create different changes in gene activity in the hippocampus and neocortex. So far, it has been possible to confirm the presence of stable patterns in experiments on the brain of laboratory mice, but in the not-too-distant future, researchers hope to apply the technique to live animals and, ultimately, to humans.
