Dr. Terry Sejnowski

But when I was growing up, you know, as you know, it was against the law.

No, it's a great question. I mean, you have all these great questions, and we don't have complete answers yet. But specifically with regard to connectivity, if you look at what happens in an infant's brain during the first two years, there's a tremendous amount of new synapses being formed. This is your area, by the way.

No, it's a great question. I mean, you have all these great questions, and we don't have complete answers yet. But specifically with regard to connectivity, if you look at what happens in an infant's brain during the first two years, there's a tremendous amount of new synapses being formed. This is your area, by the way.

No, it's a great question. I mean, you have all these great questions, and we don't have complete answers yet. But specifically with regard to connectivity, if you look at what happens in an infant's brain during the first two years, there's a tremendous amount of new synapses being formed. This is your area, by the way.

But then you prune them. The second phase is that you have overabundant synapses, and now what you want to do is to prune them. Why would you want to do that? You know, synapses are expensive. It takes a lot of energy to activate all of the neurons and the synapses, especially, because there's the turnover of the neurotransmitter.

But then you prune them. The second phase is that you have overabundant synapses, and now what you want to do is to prune them. Why would you want to do that? You know, synapses are expensive. It takes a lot of energy to activate all of the neurons and the synapses, especially, because there's the turnover of the neurotransmitter.

But then you prune them. The second phase is that you have overabundant synapses, and now what you want to do is to prune them. Why would you want to do that? You know, synapses are expensive. It takes a lot of energy to activate all of the neurons and the synapses, especially, because there's the turnover of the neurotransmitter.

And so what you want to do is to reduce the amount of energy and only use those synapses that have been proven to be the most important, right? Now, unfortunately, as you get older... The pruning slows down, but it doesn't go away. So the cortex thins and so forth. So I think it goes in the opposite direction. I think that as you get older, you're losing connectivity.

And so what you want to do is to reduce the amount of energy and only use those synapses that have been proven to be the most important, right? Now, unfortunately, as you get older... The pruning slows down, but it doesn't go away. So the cortex thins and so forth. So I think it goes in the opposite direction. I think that as you get older, you're losing connectivity.

And so what you want to do is to reduce the amount of energy and only use those synapses that have been proven to be the most important, right? Now, unfortunately, as you get older... The pruning slows down, but it doesn't go away. So the cortex thins and so forth. So I think it goes in the opposite direction. I think that as you get older, you're losing connectivity.

But interestingly, you retain the old memories. The old memories are really rock solid because they were put in when you were young.

But interestingly, you retain the old memories. The old memories are really rock solid because they were put in when you were young.

But interestingly, you retain the old memories. The old memories are really rock solid because they were put in when you were young.

The foundation upon which everything else is built. But it's not totally one way in the sense that Even as an adult, as you know, you can learn new things, maybe not as quickly. By the way, this is one of the things that surprised me. So Barbara and I have looked at the people who really benefited the most. It turns out that the peak of the demographic is 25 to 35. Barbara? Oakley, Oakley.

The foundation upon which everything else is built. But it's not totally one way in the sense that Even as an adult, as you know, you can learn new things, maybe not as quickly. By the way, this is one of the things that surprised me. So Barbara and I have looked at the people who really benefited the most. It turns out that the peak of the demographic is 25 to 35. Barbara? Oakley, Oakley.

The foundation upon which everything else is built. But it's not totally one way in the sense that Even as an adult, as you know, you can learn new things, maybe not as quickly. By the way, this is one of the things that surprised me. So Barbara and I have looked at the people who really benefited the most. It turns out that the peak of the demographic is 25 to 35. Barbara? Oakley, Oakley.

Yeah, she's really the mastermind. She's a fabulous educator and background in engineering. But what's going on? So it turns out we aimed our MOOC at kids in high school and college because that's their business. They go every day and they go into work. They have to learn, right? That's their business. But in fact, very few of the students are actually, you know, they weren't taking the course.

Yeah, she's really the mastermind. She's a fabulous educator and background in engineering. But what's going on? So it turns out we aimed our MOOC at kids in high school and college because that's their business. They go every day and they go into work. They have to learn, right? That's their business. But in fact, very few of the students are actually, you know, they weren't taking the course.

Yeah, she's really the mastermind. She's a fabulous educator and background in engineering. But what's going on? So it turns out we aimed our MOOC at kids in high school and college because that's their business. They go every day and they go into work. They have to learn, right? That's their business. But in fact, very few of the students are actually, you know, they weren't taking the course.

Why should they? They spent all day in the class, right? Why did they want to take another class?