The human brain is the most complex part of our body. The 1.4kg mass of one hundred billion neurons has a mind boggling potential to control every aspect of our lives. We think, breathe, move and remember things all through our brain, yet we know relatively little about this vital organ.

Nicholas Spitzer, Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology at the University of California, San Diego, believes the coming years will witness exciting new discoveries about our brains. We will see extraordinary advancements in tools that give us a deeper insight into the brain. We may even see much-needed treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.

But more exciting are the things we can’t yet predict. Could we create nanobots that can find their way inside neurons and send us reports via wireless, for instance? Or could we harness the electrical activity of these bots and use it to power prosthetic devices?

Nicholas Spitzer spoke to BBC Future at The Atlantic Meets The Pacific conference.

(Additional images/footage courtesy Science Photo Library and Shutterstock)

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