1 Millimeter of Brain Tissue Takes 1.4 Petabytes of Data
Harvard researchers and Google AI experts collaborated on a project to fully map a cubic millimeter of a human brain, generating 1.4 petabytes of image data. The study, utilizing machine learning technology, revealed previously unknown details about brain structure, including unique cell clusters and complex neuron connections.
However, scaling up this project to map the entire human brain would require 1.6 zettabytes of storage, costing $50 billion and spanning 140 acres. Despite the monumental challenges and costs, the insights gained from even this small brain sample underscore the complexity and mysteries of the human brain. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Neuralink project is already advancing brain-computer interface technology, indicating that understanding every detail of the brain may not be necessary to begin manipulating it.