Dr Henry Marsh branded the idea a “fairytale” as he said it’s just because he fears death. He went on to explain it the transhumanist idea would be difficult due to 85 billion nerve cells. It comes as Elon Musk and his team of boffins are exploring ways in which they can connect a computer interface to the mind.
Speaking to RT, Mr Marsh said: “That’s fairytales. I’m not saying it’s impossible but with our present level of neuroscience and technology, there’s no way we can do it.
“Transhumanists, yes. It’s fairytales.
“It’s the old fear of death written in another form. Giving people who’ve lost, who have a deep fear of death.
“We have the need to feel we’ll live forever which until the modern age took the form of religious belief in an afterlife.
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“The need for that belief is still there, but now some people dress it up in pseudo-scientific terms.
“In theory, it is possible. I won’t say it’s impossible. But 85 billion nerve cells, trillions of connections between them – it’s quite difficult.”
His comments come as Mr Musk has claimed to have already trialled NeuraLink on a monkey which was able to control the computer with its brain.
He said: “A monkey has been able to control the computer with his brain.”
This means the implanted device would be able to target very specific areas of the brain, and said device could analyse the neurons and using artificial intelligence (AI) would work out hot to stimulate the patient.
Details on how brain activity will be translated or how the brain would be stimulated have not been released.
Mr Musk said: “It’s not like suddenly we will have this incredible neural lace and will take over people’s brains.
“It will take a long time.”