How the Universe and the Brain Collide to Save Lives

A Review on Optogenetic Manipulation of Astrocytes

It was theoretical physicist Michio Kaku who said:

The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each neuron connected to 10,000 other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe.

The universe and the brain — My two favourite things to think about.

It seems so counter-intuitive that they would intersect, seeing as one is a vast expanse bigger than, quite literally, everything and the other is a biological organ that fits in our heads.

As it turns out, there are multiple intersections between the universe and the brain, but for now, I’ll talk about just one. Astrocytes.

Before I get into it, I want you all to know that this paper is going to require some background knowledge on optogenetics and how the brain functions. If you don’t have that knowledge, I strongly suggest reading the article below before continuing.