If you love studying matters concerned with the human body, then this documentary is perfect for you. Director Noah Hutton made a very big decision to follow Henry Markram—the brains behind the brains. They decided that if we are to understand the human brain better, seeing as no human has even come close to understanding an animal brain, they had to build a fully mechanized computer that acts like the human brain, a system that sends nerves, impulses, and every other thing and function the human brain accomplishes.
This project was going to be called The Human Brain Project and was supposed to be completed in 10 years. Most people believed it would be centuries before we can understand the human brain. But Markram decided to prove them all wrong. He was a visionary and a determined one.
Not everyone responds positively when it comes to issues concerning cultural changes and what Henry Markram wanted to do was a total cultural change. He decided to study the human brain in biological terms, no longer experimental.
Because of his approach, a lot of critics arose, all saying one thing, “It is impossible.” Most said that there's a lot we don’t know yet, so how are they going to prove that it works? There were a lot of questions, most of which were said to have no answers.
There are two common ways of studying the brain, one is “In Vivo” where scientists study the brain by watching organisms and how they respond, and the other one is “In Vitro” where the brain cells are kept alive in a petri dish and studied through a microscope.
However, Henry Markram presented a new way of studying the brain; “In Silico,” through the use of computers. He decided to name it the Blue Brain, named after the first supercomputer that defeated the best chess player Gary Kasparov back in 1997.
He received a 1 billion Euro fund, which Henry used to build the Blue Brain, an overcomplicated venture at the time. As the time passed, critics questioned Henry Markram’s management and leadership skills, and they eventually voted him out of the project.
In Silico is a really interesting documentary following Makram’s journey and the entire Blue Brain project, which took 15 years to be accomplished. Makram achieved in 15 years what people said was centuries away. This documentary is a comprehensive look into this discovery and is an eye-opener for anyone interested in learning more about the brain.
What subjects or college majors would benefit from the content covered in this film?
The documentary is well-suited for majors related to neurosurgery and biology.
Can this film be used in a library education program?
Yes, it can, as it focuses mainly on the brain and how to study it, so those interested in becoming scientists can use this documentary.
What academic library shelves would this title be on?
In Silico best belongs on the scientific discoveries shelf.