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Neurons dissipate an almost negligible amount of energy compared to artificial computer components, making the brain extremely power-efficient.
Written by the Tronix Library
3 chapters across 2 books
chapter X THE COMPUTER AND THE BRAIN THE feats of control and communication that computers nowadays perform have earned them the nickname of "giant brains." The sobriquet is well deserved because of their ability to imitate, with a speed, skill, and accuracy far beyond the powers of any genius alive, certain processes of thought, though of a routine, repetitive, and rudi- mentary kind. But in reality a fair comparison of the powers and debilities of these artifacts vis-a-vis their natural model, the living brain, would show that the "giants" are yet in many ways mere play- things beside the "midget" they aspire to simulate. Consider, for instance, the basic component of the human nervous system, the nerve cell or the neuron, which is to the brain what a vacuum tube or a transistor is to the computer. It is still a marvel of compactness and economy. For reasons that will be apparent later on, it beats in respect of size its artificial analogues, the vacuum tube and the transistor, the basic components of computers, by a factor of a hundred to a thousand million. Even if we succeed in replacing the transistor with the more miniature superconducting cryotron — a promising possibility beginning to open up and yet to be fully realized — the lead factor will still be a hundred thousand to a million. This is why artificial imitations of living brains tend to be much more lavish in the use of space than their natural prototypes, though making up for their extravagance by being enormously swifter. But the swiftness in turn entails another handicap in that they require a lot of power to activate them. Whereas the energy dissipation by a typical neuron is barely one-billionth of a watt, a quantity so vanishingly small as to be for all practical purposes a synonym for zero, a typical vacuum tube would dissipate 5 to 10 watts and a transistor one-tenth of a watt. Once again the neuron is a more efficient unit outpacing its synthetic 127This chapter compares the human brain and its basic unit, the neuron, with computers and their components like vacuum tubes and transistors, highlighting the brain's superior compactness, efficiency, and energy economy. It discusses the neural communication system as the foundation of the brain's adaptive intelligence and introduces the structure and function of neurons, including dendrites, axons, and synapses, emphasizing the complexity and efficiency of biological neural networks compared to artificial ones.
Chapter 18This chapter discusses the urgent need for humanity to change its energy consumption habits to address environmental degradation. It argues that despite uncertainties, prudence demands action similar to taking a medical prescription when diagnosed with illness. The chapter highlights that energy efficiency, especially modeled after countries like Germany and Japan, offers a practical and economically beneficial path to reduce environmental harm without sacrificing comfort.
Chapter 22The chapter comprehensively addresses the environmental impacts of household energy use and agricultural practices, emphasizing the importance of energy efficiency in appliances, lighting, and home design, including innovations like underground homes and graywater reuse. It further explores sustainable agricultural methods to reduce water waste, soil salinization, and pollution from fertilizers, pesticides, and concentrated animal farming, advocating for crop diversity, biological pest control, and agroforestry. The chapter also highlights systemic economic and legal barriers to conservation efforts and stresses the need to reduce post-harvest food loss to improve food security and environmental sustainability.