of spaghetti, a sticky and tedious exercise. Because computers have difficulty telling neurons
apart from other cells and even from empty
space, software alone will not be able to correctly map the brain. We need the human eye,
which is far more skilled at pattern recognition. Unfortunately, it would take a single tracer
an estimated 1 trillion years to trace a human
brain by hand. At this rate, the task seems like
a pointless endeavor, despite all that it could reveal. We simply cannot guarantee that humans
will be around long enough to reap its rewards.
Enter crowdsourcing. Recognizing our collective enjoyment of puzzles, scientists have begun
to tap into the potential of online games in
order to assist with research as grueling as tracing neural pathways. Every week, people spend
about 3 billion hours playing online games. Why
not put some of that energy toward science? By
creating an addictive puzzle that is accessible to
anyone across the globe, from scientists to students to artists to retired gardeners, EyeWire
is able to tap into th e general public’s neuro-
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scientific potential. The game is designed like
a three-dimensional puzzle, where one maps
branches of a neuron from one side of a cube to
the other. Starting relatively small, the focus is
on mapping the neural wiring of a retina. Players scroll through the cube (measuring about
4.5 microns per side or approximately ten times
smaller than the average width of a human hair)
and reconstruct neurons in volumetric segments
with the help of an artificial intelligence algorithm. It feels more like a coloring book than
a science experiment and introduces gorgeous,
scientifically accurate visuals to many who may
otherwise never know what a neuron looks like.
All you need to play is to take satisfaction in
searching for connections and filling them in.
No science background is needed.
With their stunning game, created by the
Seung Lab at Princeton University, EyeWire has
done a phenomenal job at making neuroscience
accessible. Launched in 2012, it has become
so popular that over 160,000 players from 145
countries actively engage. Top players can put
SciArt in America June 2015