/sci/ - Science & Math

If we wait long enough, will clay evolve into a living being?

Get out of here euphorian

Hmmm, this thread has me thinking about the process of downregulation and upregulation of the receptors in the brain. As far as I know, when certain neurotransmitters like serotonin are being flooded into the brain, through the use of MDMA or SSRI's for example, the brain actively downregulates the number of receptors in the brain-cells, and over time, depression and anxiety can occur.

My question is, if we can stop or at least halt the process of downregulation, could we theoretically have brains that could "be high" all the time? Is this an impossible task?

Another question: if feelings of euphoria, calm, ..., are as a result of electrical activity in the brain, can we experience pleasure without these neurotransmitters playing a central role? What I mean is, if I were to electrically stimulate the pleasure centers of your brain, you'd be feeling pleasure without the presence of serotonin, dopamine, etc being the cause. If that is the case, can we have neural pathways that create 'pleasure' without 'pleasure'-neurotransmitters having a central role?

ITT: we hypothesize on why /sci/ is so shit.

Personally, I think it's because the board is populated by 16 year old pseudo-intellectuals.

>>5526529
.999... =/= 1
guess

>>5496951
fuck dawkins

If you're rich then why read non-fiction books? Science isn't as fun as consuming high art all day, or even video games. Drinking whisky etc.

I say this because I want to be convinced otherwise, I fail to see the fun in science and feel most people only get into it because they realise they are relatively smart and can make money from it. The people who enjoy it in the same way most people enjoy a play for example, are a minority.

>>5326550
What?

Sorry if some have already been posted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmz39XOEHC4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbX44YSsQ2I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_y4-z-kDqQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0DdgSDan9c&t=3m42s

Why do people hate Richard Dawkins?