Saffron Bryant's Blog, page 6

Creating False Memories

Today in When Science Fiction Becomes Reality I’m talking about something a little scary…

Do you remember the movie Total Recall? Or the book it was based on: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale? … The premise was that artificial memories were inserted into people’s brains. And now, ladies and gentlemen, we can do it for real.

That’s right, scientists have implanted false memories into the brains of mice so that they have a negative, fearful response to an environment which is completely harmless.

 

The Experiment: On day 1 the mice were put into harmless Box A where they were free to run around and explore. On day 2 the mice were put into Box B where they were exposed to mild electric shocks. Using various chemicals and stimulation the scientists activated memory cells in the hippocampus. On day 3 the mice were placed back into Box A where they experienced extreme fear, including freezing and hiding in corners. When these same mice were put into a third, new environment: Box C, they were relaxed and unafraid.

While it may sound complicated what this experiment shows is that the mice have now formed a false association between the pain experienced in Box B and the environment of Box A. In reality they should have no reason to act fearful in Box A, but the false memories tell them there is.

You can read the article here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1239073

 

Limitations: Obviously this research is relatively new and it’s a long way off creating full life memories but it’s certainly a start. At this point the study is limited to eliciting only a fear response and the memory recall is based solely on our interpretation of the mice’s actions. This means there are many aspects that we can’t possible know; like what is the mouse actually recalling?

Medical Implications: The medical implications of this technology has already been cited and primary amongst them is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). By ‘editing’ a person’s memory it might be possible to remove these kinds of debilitating memories and allow people to live ‘normal’ lives. Similarly phobias could be addressed using this technology by falsely creating a positive association with the focus of the phobia.

 

Science Fiction: The concept of memory implantation has been covered by multiple science fiction novels and movies, the two I mentioned earlier are the obvious examples. This technology has many applications outside the medical arena:

-       Brain washing: How better to control a population then to control people’s memories and thoughts? You could eradicate entire rebellions by ‘inserting’ positive memories of yourself into the upriser’s heads. On the other hand you could make people hate your enemy by inserting false negative memories as well.

-       Manipulation: Similar to brain-washing but how to make that special someone fall for you? Simply insert some romantic memories. Perhaps you even saved their life once?

-       Torture: By controlling the very thoughts a person has a potential abuser could torture a victim not just physically but mentally as well.

-       Training: Rehabilitating repeat offenders could involve ‘editing’ a person’s memories and therefore their behaviour. Associate an unwanted behaviour with a bad memory and the person is unlikely to perform the behaviour again.

 

This research definitely sits on the very edge of scientific boundaries well as ethical boundaries. How far is too far? When does medication become manipulation? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the ethical implications as well as how this technology could be used in today’s science fiction, let me know in the comments section below.

 

How to Beat Writer’s Block – 3 Easy Steps

Just write! Basically that’s the advice I have for you because that’s all you need. The three steps I describe below will cure your writer’s block real quick but it will probably also help your productivity in other areas of your life.

What gives me the right to give advice on this topic? Well I have a full-time job, I’ve graduated from a bachelors and an honours degree in biomedical science (and am about to start my PhD), I’ve written and published two fantasy novels in the last 2 years as well as survived massive brain surgery which put my life on hold for a year. Not to mention I also paint, have a very successful, loving relationship and exercise for half an hour every day. So in summary, I know a thing or two about time management.

So without further delay, the three steps to beat writers block:

1. Set yourself a daily goal.

This should be a number of words or pages that you will write per day (NOT a time span). The goal should be achievable but should also allow you to finish your book within a reasonable time frame. Let’s say you want to write a 300 page book in 1 year… well then you would want to write 1 page a day and that would still give you 65 days for editing. Personally I write 2 pages everyday.

2. Stick to that goal no matter what

So you’ve had a long day at work, you’ve still got to make dinner, the kids are crying out for attention and you just don’t feel like sitting in that chair and writing. Well… TOO BAD! If you want to be a professional writer you have to treat it like a job, writing is not optional. If you just want to occasionally write for the fun of it, then OK but don’t expect to turn it into a profession if you don’t take it just as seriously as your ‘real job’.

3. Eliminate distractions

Until you’ve finished that book your writing time should be wholly dedicated to getting words onto paper. Your writing time is not for editing, it’s not for reading, it’s not for facebook. Your daily writing goal must be for your book and if it takes you 5 hours to finish your goal then so be it. You will quickly train yourself to complete your goal in no time at all because it’s a quantity rather than a time based achievement.

So yes, it does take some discipline, but so does anything else if you want to be any good at it. So go now, set yourself a daily goal and stick to it- you’ll be incredibly proud of the progress you make.

 

Get hold of my first book: The Fallen Star, by clicking on the cover image on the right side of the page >>>

Oxygen Particle Injection Lets You Live Without Breathing

This week in When Science Fiction Becomes Reality we talk about the almost impossible.

Scientists have achieved something spectacular: an injected fluid which allows you to survive without breathing for up to 15 minutes!

So far it’s only been used in animal trials but think of the possibilities, not just medically but recreationally as well. What would you do if you didn’t have to breath for 30 minutes? Altitude? Not a problem. Diving? Not a problem. Space? Not a problem (aside from your body exploding…).

The Science: So the science behind this technology is that a lipid (fat) particle is infused with oxygen at a much higher concentration than our own red blood cells. These particles are called lipidic oxygen-containing microparticles (LOMs). This solution is injected and mixes with the patient’s blood, providing oxygen to deprived haemoglobin. The animal trials have shown that asphyxiated animals given LOMs maintain normal blood pressure and heart rate compared to control animals given simple saline solution. The animals given LOMs also lived longer and did not suffer from organ damage.

 

What does it mean: Medically this technology could mean the difference between life and death or prevent brain damage. These LOMs could provide the vital extra minutes a patient needs when they are suffering from a breathing restriction. So many people could benefit; water inhalation, severe pneumonia, lung collapse, the list goes on.

The ability to go without breathing also has military implications; underwater missions, toxic gas and lung damage are much less serious when you don’t need to breath!

What about Sci-fi? Well if you ask me this is pretty much the limits of science fiction as we see it now. The need to breath is so intrinsic to us as humans that picturing a world where it’s not necessary is almost impossible. But, that’s just what we’re facing with this new technology. Sure, right now it’s only been tested on animals and only lasts for a short while, but where will the future take us?

What if you could ‘swim’ through space? Sure, we still have to deal with the negative air-pressure, but that will come. Aqueous planets aren’t as far-fetched as we once thought, a city of humans living and surviving underwater is completely plausible with this technology. What if we do manage to fill our entire atmosphere with noxious gases? With LOMs humans could hypothetically survive, almost as normal, on a planet with a toxic atmosphere.

How would not having to breath influence your life? What would you do if you had this ability? What do LOMs mean for science fiction?

 
Read the scientific article here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.3003679

Oracle of Delphi- Book Review

 

 

What a fantastic take on a very old legend! At first I didn’t know what to expect from this book but after the first chapter I was completely sucked in as Greek gods and demi-gods started their power plays. I found the way in which old legends and characters are brought back to life, in a such a modern way, truly fascinating.

I’ll admit to staying up WAY later than I should have trying to finish this book and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the next one.

This story follows a girl as she goes from being a ridiculed high-schooler to being one of the most sort-after and powerful people of her time. She is surrounded on all sides by characters which have come to life from age-old legends (but then every story comes from some kind of reality right?).

Her heart and mind are conflicted as she fights through the pages of double-meanings and best-intentions.

The story could have benefited from slightly better dialogue, I found it slightly stilted while on the other hand the internal thoughts flowed beautifully. I also don’t think the start does the book justice, so if you pick it up and find yourself not quite liking it, wait until chapter 2 before making up your mind.

4 stars for this great read, Prophecy of the Most Beautiful, I can’t wait to see book two and find out what those pesky gods are up to this time!

Levitation – Just a Vibration Away

Levitation. Isn’t that one of the coolest superpowers? Right up there with fire-thrower? …. X-men aside, in today’s When Science Fiction Becomes Reality I’m looking at a very real case of levitation.

The premise is that sound waves (and their vibrations), when controlled in just the right way, are capable of levitating and even controlling the motion of objects. The intricacies of the study are described here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1301860110

If you want the short version here it is:

The scientists were able to levitate multiple objects and it did NOT rely on them being magnetic. They elevated items such as water, sodium metal and coffee granules.

But why you say?

This technology provides two MAJOR benefits to the world of science: 1) no more handling dangerous chemicals- you can control them via levitation from a distance. 2) No contamination, the experimental reagents will come into contact with nothing but air; no contamination means better experiments.

Let’s put aside practicality for a moment, how does this relate to science fiction? Well, if you increase the scale there’s not really any difference between this and flight… suppose we could increase the scale (and protect ourselves), what’s to stop us riding this vibrational wave through the air? Aside from just the pure awesomeness of flying it could be used to cross dangerous or difficult terrain- you just levitate across, like a bridge.

Could this form of levitation be weaponised? Probably- although I’ll let you work out how.

Read more here.

Do you know any other methods of levitation? How does levitation feature in your science fiction novels? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Photo from gordonator on flickr

Cephrael’s Hand – Book Review

 

 

“All things are composed of patterns…”

And within the pattern of the realm of Alorin,

three strands must cross.

What a story! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Melissa McPhail, it had everything you would want or expect from an epic fantasy novel. Be warned though, it’s long- massive in fact (which of course you don’t notice when you’re getting it on kindle). So make sure you’re ready to commit to the long haul if you’re planning to get this book.

There are a huge variety of characters and I felt connected to all of them. I also have to congratulate Melissa on her ability to weave mystery into a fantasy novel. I’m still not quite sure which characters to trust and am looking forward to book two.

The editing was thorough and the book well written so big ticks on all fronts for Cephrael’s Hand.

I’ll admit it took me a little while to really get into this book and I probably feel more connected with the darker characters than the main heroes (although perhaps that says more about me than the book!). The book maybe could have been split into two smaller novels, but that’s just my own personal preference.

If you’re looking for a book to really sink your teeth into, Cephrael’s Hand is just what you need.

Darwin’s Robots

I’m very excited about this week’s When Science Fiction Becomes Reality, it’s all about artificial intelligence. Let’s face it, we all knew that it was only a matter of time before Terminator came true. Firstly, some interesting facts:

It is estimated that humans will get rid of their bodies and become entirely machine (consciousness uploaded to software) by 2050
There are already several computers that are in the process of being ‘taught’, starting at the age of a toddler and moving up from there
Robots can develop the ability to lie and deceive (the topic of this post).

So, a neat team in Switzerland created a ‘swarm’ of robots which they released into a contrived environment containing both ‘food’ and ‘poison’. The ‘survivors’ of this group of robots were taken and their make-up subjected to genetic-like processes; sexual reproduction, mutation, etc. This continued for 500 generations and the behaviour of the robots was analysed. [image error]

There is a great article and video here which tells you a bit more about the process.

In the end the researcher’s found some amazing things:

The robots learned to signal when there was food and to recognise this signal from other robots
Robots whose evolution was based on whole-colony selection would help each other
Robots who were in competition with each other learned to signal deceptively i.e. drawing other robots away from the food source

Just think about the implications of these three things!! Completely naive robots learned to co-operate (when it suited them) and to lie and deceive! Ladies and Gentlemen- if these robots had been more than lights on wheels how much further could this experiment have gone? What if, for example, they were made with weapons? How many generations before they turned on their human creators?

The implications for these facts in science fiction is obvious. If your robots haven’t advanced much past the intelligence of an iPhone then you may want to consider re-writing. Clearly artificial intelligence is undergoing exponential advancement, even if we threw our imagination as far out as it would go we probably still wouldn’t be close to what will actually happen.

Just think, current predictions have us becoming robots within 37 years… that’s within my lifetime! How can you possible write a story based on that eventuality?

Post below, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Herald of Darkness- Book Launch

Come one, come all to celebrate the launch of the 2nd book in The Lost Child Saga: The Herald of Darkness.

Details are below and all are welcome. Copies of The Herald of Darkness will be available for purchase. Be prepared for nibbles, a sneak preview and celebration.

 

When: 3.30pm  28th August

Where: Eddie Koiki Mabo Library,  James Cook University,  Townsville

 

Learn more about The Herald of Darkness.

5 Newest Fantasy/Sci-fi Titles- July

Here for your enjoyment are the five newest and top-rated books in fantasy and sci-fi. Have you read them? What did you think? They all sound fantastic, but I haven’t ready any of them! Does anyone have any suggestions?

View these books now by clicking on the cover images.

 

A Lost Witch – Debora Geary                                4.9 stars

Hannah Kendrick has spent the last twelve years fighting for her sanity.   And the doctor who has stood by her side has run out of options.

A small computer tracking spell will find Hannah – but can Witch Central save her?

This is the seventh and final book in the bestselling A Modern Witch series, but have no fear – your favorite characters will be back in September with the launch of the Witch Central series. Lots of witchy love, laughter, and tears yet to come .

 

The Atlantis Gene – A.G. Riddle            4.4 Stars

THE GREATEST MYSTERY OF ALL TIME…

THE HISTORY OF HUMAN ORIGINS…

WILL BE REVEALED.

70,000 years ago, the human race almost went extinct.

We survived, but no one knows how.

Until now.

The countdown to the next stage of human evolution is about to begin, and humanity might not survive this time.

 The Immari are good at keeping secrets. For 2,000 years, they’ve hidden the truth about human evolution. They’ve also searched for an ancient enemy – a threat that could wipe out the human race. Now the search is over.

Off the coast of Antarctica, a research vessel discovers a mysterious structure buried deep in an iceberg. It has been there for thousands of years, and something is guarding it. As the Immari rush to execute their plan, a brilliant geneticist makes a discovery that could change everything.

Dr. Kate Warner moved to Jakarta, Indonesia to escape her past. She hasn’t recovered from what happened to her, but she has made an incredible breakthrough: a cure for autism. Or so she thinks. What she has found is far more dangerous – for her and the entire human race. In the hands of the Immari, it would mean the end of humanity as we know it.

Agent David Vale has spent ten years trying to stop the Immari. Now he’s out of time. His informant is dead. His organization has been infiltrated. His enemy is hunting him. But when David receives a coded message related to the Immari attack, he risks everything to save the one person that can help him solve it: Dr. Kate Warner.

Together, Kate and David must race to unravel a global conspiracy and learn the truth about the Atlantis Gene… and human origins. Their journey takes them to the far corners of the globe and into the secrets of their pasts. The Immari are close on their heels and will stop at nothing to obtain Kate’s research and force the next stage of human evolution – even if it means killing 99.9% of the world’s population. David and Kate can stop them… if they can trust each other. And stay alive.

 

A Charge of Valor – Morgan Rice                            4.5 Stars

In A CHARGE OF VALOR (Book #6 in the Sorcerer’s Ring), Thor continues on his quest, deeper into the Empire, to retrieve the stolen Destiny Sword and save the Ring. As he and his friends meet unexpected tragedy and lose a member of their close-knit group, Thor and his remaining friends become closer than they ever were, learning that they must face and overcome adversity together. Their journey takes them to new and exotic terrains, including the desolate Salt Fields, the Great Tunnel, and the Mountains of Fire, as they face a host of unexpected monsters at every turn.

Thor’s skills deepen as he undergoes his most advanced training yet, and he will need to draw on powers greater than he has ever used if he is to survive. They finally discover where the Sword has been taken, and they learn that, to retrieve it, they will have to venture to the most dreaded place in the Empire: the Land of the Dragons.

Back in the Ring, Gwendolyn recovers slowly and grapples with deep depression after her attack. Kendrick and the others vow to fight for her honor, despite the impossible odds. There follows one of the great battles in the history of the Ring, as they struggle to free Silesia and conquer Andronicus.

 Meanwhile, Godfrey finds himself in disguise behind enemy lines and begins to come into his own, learning what it means to become a warrior, in his own, unique way. Gareth manages to stay alive, using all his cunning to avert capture by Andronicus, while Erec fights for his life to save Savaria from the oncoming invasion by Andronicus—and to save his love, Alistair. Argon pays a precious price for doing the forbidden: meddling in human affairs. And Gwendolyn must decide if she will give up on life, or take up the secluded life of a nun in the ancient Tower of Refuge.

But not before, in a shocking twist, Thor finally learns who his real father is.

Will Thor and the others survive the quest? Will they retrieve the Destiny Sword? Will the Ring survive Andronicus’ invasion? What will become of Gwendolyn, Kendrick and Erec? And who is Thor’s real father?

 

Ep.#7 – “The Expanse” -  Ryk Brown                         4.7 Stars

A newly repaired ship…

A willing and eager crew…

A host of new technologies…

A long anticipated return home…

The crew of the UES Aurora finally has the chance to fulfill their mission, but first they must complete a long and dangerous journey across a thousand light years of unexplored space.

 

 

CyberStorm – Matthew Mather                             4.4 Stars

Sometimes the worst storms aren’t from Mother Nature, and sometimes the worst nightmares aren’t the ones in our heads. Mike Mitchell, an average New Yorker already struggling to keep his family together, suddenly finds himself fighting just to keep them alive when an increasingly bizarre string of disasters start appearing on the world’s news networks. As the world and cyberworld come crashing down, bending perception and reality, a monster snowstorm cuts New York off from the world, turning it into a wintry tomb where nothing is what it seems…and no one can be trusted…

 

Vaccines Strike Again

In this week’s When Science Fiction Becomes Reality, we’re discussing a topic which has become quite controversial over the last few years. Vaccines. There has been a massive push in recent years against vaccines and this has led to an abominable increase in the rates of infectious diseases, including whooping cough. In-fact in the last year the USA has experienced higher rates of whooping cough than it has seen for the last 5 decades.

Of course there are multiple reasons for this but a large part is the massive anti-vaccine campaign which has been gaining large media attention. As a biomedical scientist myself, let me assure you that I am not trying to kill you, I am not trying to give your child autism and I am not privy to some giant conspiracy… I (and my fellow scientists) are people just like you, we carry out evidence-based research (and trust me, we’re not in it for the pay) with the ultimate aim of helping society. End Rant.

So, let’s celebrate some incredible progress that’s been made on the vaccine front:

1) The flu shot is likely to have prevented 13 million illnesses

2) A vaccine against autism is under development

3) A rotavirus vaccine given to African children is at least 60% effective

Some other things to celebrate… Have you ever had smallpox? Of course not!!

So aside from my own personal loudspeaker this article does have some link to the genre we all know and love- science fiction. So while it’s great to imagine a world where all diseases have been eradicated, with our current technology I don’t think that’s possible. Who knows, maybe we’ll develop a new method of disease control and we’ll all live in utopia forever… but I think not.

As hard as we try to stay ahead of the bacteria and viruses that cause disease, so too are they evolving to survive… perhaps utopia will always be just out of our reach…

What do you think? Could we ever be completely infection free? How has the anti-vaccine debate affected you?