TED-Ed
Greg Gage: The cockroach beatbox
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By dissecting a cockroach ... yes, live on stage ... TED Fellow and neuroscientist Greg Gage shows how brains receive and deliver electric impulses -- and how legs can respond. This talk comes from the TED-Ed project.
Greg Gage - Neuroscientist
TED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards. Full bio
TED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
(音樂)
00:13
When you think about the brain,
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當你想到大腦
00:15
it's difficult to understand,
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它是個複雜難解的器官
00:17
because if I were to ask you right now,
how does the heart work,
how does the heart work,
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因為如果我問你
心臟是如何運作
心臟是如何運作
00:20
you would instantly tell me it's a pump.
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你一定能馬上跟我說這是一個泵
它輸送血液
它輸送血液
00:23
It pumps blood.
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如果我問你肺是如何運作
00:24
If I were to ask about your lungs,
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你一定知道肺的功能是氧氣和二氧化碳的交流
很簡單對吧
很簡單對吧
00:26
you would say it exchanges
oxygen for carbon dioxide.
oxygen for carbon dioxide.
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00:28
That's easy.
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但如果我問你大腦如何運作
這就不容易解釋了
這就不容易解釋了
00:29
If I were to ask you how the brain works,
it's hard to understand
it's hard to understand
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因為它的構造複雜難解
00:32
because you can't just look
at a brain and understand what it is.
at a brain and understand what it is.
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它不是一個機械物體
不是泵，也不是一個氣囊
不是泵，也不是一個氣囊
00:36
It's not a mechanical object,
not a pump, not an airbag.
not a pump, not an airbag.
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一個大腦就只是一陀脂肪
00:38
It's just like, if you held it
in your hand when it was dead,
in your hand when it was dead,
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00:41
it's just a piece of fat.
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所以要了解大腦的運作
00:43
To understand how the brain works,
you have to go inside a living brain.
you have to go inside a living brain.
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你需要研究活大腦。因為大腦有電性和化學性
00:47
Because the brain's not mechanical,
the brain is electrical and it's chemical.
the brain is electrical and it's chemical.
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不是一個機械物體
00:51
Your brain is made out of
100 billion cells, called neurons.
100 billion cells, called neurons.
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你的大腦是由上百億個神經細胞組成的
這些神經細胞借由電傳導傳達訊息
00:53
And these neurons communicate
with each other with electricity.
with each other with electricity.
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現在我們要來聽聽神經細胞間的對話
00:57
And we're going to eavesdrop
in on a conversation between two cells,
in on a conversation between two cells,
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01:01
and we're going to listen
to something called a spike.
to something called a spike.
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這叫做神經衝動
01:03
But we're not going to record my brain
or your brain or your teachers' brains,
or your brain or your teachers' brains,
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但我們要用的不是我的、你們的
或你們老師的大腦
或你們老師的大腦
我們要借用我們好友小強 (蟑螂)的
01:07
we're going to use our good
friend the cockroach.
friend the cockroach.
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這不是因為蟑螂的大腦很酷
01:10
Not just because I think they're cool,
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01:12
but because they have brains
very similar to ours.
very similar to ours.
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是因為牠們的大腦類似我們的
所以我們可以從了解蟑螂的大腦功能
01:14
So if you learn a little bit
about how their brains work,
about how their brains work,
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進而認識我們的大腦運作
01:17
we're going to learn a lot
about how our brains work.
about how our brains work.
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首先我要將蟑螂放入這冰水中
01:19
I'm going to put them
in some ice water here
in some ice water here
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然後...
01:22
And then --
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(觀眾: 厭惡聲)...耶...
01:24
Audience: Ew!
Greg Gabe: Yeah ...
Greg Gabe: Yeah ...
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01:26
Right now they're becoming anesthetized.
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這步驟是將牠們麻醉
01:28
Because they're cold blooded,
they become the temperature of the water
they become the temperature of the water
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因為牠們是冷血動物，沒有體內調溫系統
01:31
and they can't control it
so they just basically "chillax," right?
so they just basically "chillax," right?
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體溫隨外溫變動，所以牠們現在是冷凍了
牠們不會有任何感觸
01:35
They're not going to feel anything,
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01:37
which may tell you a little
about what we're going to do,
about what we're going to do,
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這提示了一點我們將要做甚麼
我們將要做一個了解大腦的科學實驗
01:39
a scientific experiment
to understand the brain.
to understand the brain.
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這樣...
01:42
So ...
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這是一條蟑螂腿
01:44
This is the leg of a cockroach.
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01:46
And a cockroach
has all these beautiful hairs
has all these beautiful hairs
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蟑螂有好多美麗的毛髮
和刺
01:48
and pricklies all over it.
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01:50
Underneath each one of those is a cell,
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這每一個底下都是一個細胞
01:53
and this cell's a neuron
that is going to send information
that is going to send information
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這一個是神經細胞
能傳達風向或震動的訊息
能傳達風向或震動的訊息
01:56
about wind or vibration.
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蟑螂不好抓是因為
01:57
If you ever try to catch a cockroach,
it's hard because they can feel you coming
it's hard because they can feel you coming
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牠們能感應到你的動作而開始逃跑
02:01
before you're even there,
they start running.
they start running.
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這些神經細胞是利用軸突
02:03
These cells are zipping up
this information up to the brain
this information up to the brain
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和電傳導訊息到大腦
02:06
using those little axons
with electronic messages in there.
with electronic messages in there.
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我們要用這根針來記錄這訊息
02:09
We're going to record
by sticking a pin right in there.
by sticking a pin right in there.
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首先我們要先將一條蟑螂腿拔下
02:11
We need to take off the leg
of a cockroach --
of a cockroach --
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別擔心，這會再長回去
02:14
don't worry, they'll grow back --
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02:16
then we're going to put two pins in there.
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然後把這兩根針插這裡
這其中一根鐵針
這其中一根鐵針
02:18
These are metal pins.
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能接受到這用電傳導的訊息
02:19
One will pick up this electronic message,
this electric message is going by.
this electric message is going by.
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現在讓我們來做個小手術，都看得到吧?
02:23
So, we're now going to do the surgery,
let's see if you guys can see this.
let's see if you guys can see this.
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的確有點噁心...
02:28
Yeah, it's gross ...
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好了...
02:32
All right. So there we go.
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你們可以看到牠的腿
02:35
You guys can see his leg right there.
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現在我要把這腿放到我們發明的這儀器
02:37
Now I'm going to take this leg,
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02:39
I'm going to put it in this invention
that we came up with
that we came up with
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叫做神經衝動箱
02:41
called the Spikerbox --
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這可以取代很多昂貴的實驗設備
02:43
and this replaces lots of expensive
equipment in a research lab,
equipment in a research lab,
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讓你們在自己的中學實驗室也可以做
02:46
so you guys can do this
in your own high schools,
in your own high schools,
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或如果是我的話，我家的地下室
02:49
or in your own basements if it's me.
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02:53
(Audience: Laughter)
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好了 (笑聲)
02:55
So, there.
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看得到嗎? 要開始了
02:59
Can you guys see that?
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03:01
Alright, so I'm going to go ahead
and turn this on.
and turn this on.
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把這插進去 (神經細胞發射聲)
03:06
I'm going to plug it in.
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我覺得這是世上最美妙的聲音
03:08
(Tuning sound)
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03:09
To me, this is the most beautiful
sound in the world.
sound in the world.
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你們的大腦現在也正在這麼做
03:11
This is what your brain
is doing right now.
is doing right now.
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你們有上百億的神經細胞正在發出這雨滴聲
03:13
You have 100 billion cells
making these raindrop-type noises.
making these raindrop-type noises.
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讓我們來看看這看起來是如何
03:16
Let's take a look at what it looks like,
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讓我們用 iPad 看
03:18
let's pull it up on the iPad screen.
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看這 iPad 的螢幕
03:20
I plugged my iPad into here as well.
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還記得我說過的軸突和電傳導
的神經衝動 (spike) 嗎?
的神經衝動 (spike) 嗎?
03:22
So remember we said
the axon looks like a spike.
the axon looks like a spike.
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這就是我們等會要看的
03:24
So we're going to take a look
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03:25
at what one of them
looks like in just a brief second.
looks like in just a brief second.
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這裡點一下，平均一下這傢伙
03:28
We're going to tap here,
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03:29
so we can sort of average this guy.
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這就是動作電位 (action potential)
03:31
So there we see it.
That's an action potential.
That's an action potential.
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03:34
You've got 100 billion cells
in your brain doing this right now,
in your brain doing this right now,
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你們上百億的神經細胞也正是如此運作
將你們所看和聽到的訊息傳達到大腦
03:37
sending all this information back
about what you're seeing, hearing.
about what you're seeing, hearing.
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我說過這神經細胞能傳達風向訊息
03:40
We also said this is a cell
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03:41
that's going to be taking up information
about vibrations in the wind.
about vibrations in the wind.
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03:45
So what if we do an experiment?
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來試驗一下吧
03:46
We can actually blow on this
and hear if we see a change.
and hear if we see a change.
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我可以在這吹一下
聽看看有什麼變動
聽看看有什麼變動
準備好了嗎?
03:49
Are you guys going to be ready?
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我要吹了，跟我說你們聽到了什麼
03:50
If I blow on it you tell me
if you hear anything.
if you hear anything.
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(隨吹氣變動的神經衝動聲)
03:53
(Blowing)
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03:55
(Sound changes)
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03:57
Let me just touch this
with a little pen here.
with a little pen here.
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讓我用鉛筆在這裡按一下
03:59
(Noise)
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(雜音)
這就是神經射程
這是長期的
這是長期的
04:02
That was the neural firing rate.
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04:04
That actually took a while
in neuroscience to understand this.
in neuroscience to understand this.
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神經科學研究成果
這叫速率編碼
這叫速率編碼
04:07
This is called rate coding:
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當你按的越重
就會有越多的神經衝動
就會有越多的神經衝動
04:08
the harder you press on something,
the more spikes there are,
the more spikes there are,
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傳達信息到你的大腦
這就是你如何感受周遭事物
這就是你如何感受周遭事物
04:11
and all that information
is coming up to your brain.
is coming up to your brain.
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04:14
That's how you perceive things.
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這是測試電傳導的實驗之一
04:15
So that's one way of doing
an experiment with electricity.
an experiment with electricity.
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大腦在接收訊息的同時也在發出訊息
04:18
The other way is that your brain is not
only taking in electrical impulses,
only taking in electrical impulses,
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例如移動你的手腳
04:22
you're also sending out.
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04:24
That's how you move your muscles around.
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現在讓我們來看看把電插到蟑螂腿上
04:26
Let's see what happens if I've plugged in
something that's electric
something that's electric
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會如何
04:29
into the cockroach leg here.
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04:31
I'm going to take two pins,
I'm going to plug them onto the cockroach.
I'm going to plug them onto the cockroach.
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我將把這兩根針插入這蟑螂
然後把這另一端插入我的 iPod
04:34
I'm going to take the other end,
I'm going to plug in into my iPod.
I'm going to plug in into my iPod.
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其實這是我的 iPhone
04:38
It's my iPhone actually.
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你們知道耳塞型耳機是如何運作的嗎?
04:39
Do you guys know how your earbuds
work in your ears?
work in your ears?
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04:42
You have a battery
in your phone, or iPod, right?
in your phone, or iPod, right?
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你們都知道手機和 iPod 裡都有電池吧?
這利用電流震動耳機內的磁鐵
04:45
It's sending electrical current
into these magnets in your earbuds
into these magnets in your earbuds
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讓你聽得到東西
04:48
which shake back and forth
and allow you to hear things.
and allow you to hear things.
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04:51
But that current's the same currency
that our brain uses,
that our brain uses,
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大腦裡的電流跟這類似
04:54
so we can send that to our cockroach leg
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讓我用這蟑螂腿來示範
04:55
and hopefully if this works,
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放音樂對這腿有什麼影響
04:57
we can actually see what happens
when we play music into the cockroach.
when we play music into the cockroach.
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讓我們來看看吧
05:00
Let's take a look.
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(音樂) 可以大聲點嗎?
05:03
(Music beat)
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05:05
Can we turn it up? There we go.
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(音樂) (觀眾驚嚇的反應) 這是什麼?
05:07
(Audience reacts and gasps)
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05:10
GG: So what's happening?
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(音樂)
05:11
Audience: Wow!
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它在動
隨著低音在動
隨著低音在動
05:13
(Laughter)
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05:14
So you see what's moving.
It's moving on the bass.
It's moving on the bass.
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05:17
All those audiophiles out there,
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在座的發燒友
如果你有很棒的車內音響
如果你有很棒的車內音響
05:19
if you have awesome, kicking car stereos,
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你們應該都知道低音喇叭最大
05:21
you know, the bass speakers
are the biggest speakers.
are the biggest speakers.
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05:23
The biggest speakers
have the longest waves,
have the longest waves,
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最大的喇叭的聲波最長和最多電流
05:26
which have the most current,
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電流能造成東西移動
05:27
and the current is what's causing
these things to move.
these things to move.
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除了喇叭能傳導電流
05:30
So it's not just speakers
that are causing electricity.
that are causing electricity.
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麥克風也可以 (音樂節拍)
05:33
Microphones also cause electricity.
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05:35
(Beat)
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現在我要請一位幫手出台
05:36
So I'm going to go ahead and invite
another person out on the stage here
another person out on the stage here
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看好了 (節奏口技)
05:40
to help me out with this.
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05:41
So there we go.
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05:42
(Beatboxing)
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05:47
This is the first time this has ever
happened in the history of mankind.
happened in the history of mankind.
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這是世上第一的
隨節奏口技起舞的蟑螂腿
05:50
Human beatbox to a cockroach leg.
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05:53
When you guys go back to your high school,
think about neuroscience
think about neuroscience
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我希望這能啟發你們
對神經科學的興趣和創新
對神經科學的興趣和創新
05:56
and how you guys can begin
the neuro-revolution.
the neuro-revolution.
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05:59
Thank you very much. Bye bye.
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謝謝
再見 (掌聲)
再見 (掌聲)
06:00
(Applause)
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(音樂)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Greg Gage - NeuroscientistTED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards.
Why you should listen
As half of Backyard Brains, neuroscientist and engineer Greg Gage builds the SpikerBox -- a small rig that helps kids understand the electrical impulses that control the nervous system. He's passionate about helping students understand (viscerally) how our brains and our neurons work, because, as he said onstage at TED2012, we still know very little about how the brain works -- and we need to start inspiring kids early to want to know more.
Before becoming a neuroscientist, Gage worked as an electrical engineer making touchscreens. As he told the Huffington Post: "Scientific equipment in general is pretty expensive, but it's silly because before [getting my PhD in neuroscience] I was an electrical engineer, and you could see that you could make it yourself. So we started as a way to have fun, to show off to our colleagues, but we were also going into classrooms around that time and we thought, wouldn't it be cool if you could bring these gadgets with us so the stuff we were doing in advanced Ph.D. programs in neuroscience, you could also do in fifth grade?" His latest pieces of gear: the Roboroach, a cockroach fitted with an electric backpack that makes it turn on command, and BYB SmartScope, a smartphone-powered microscope.
Greg Gage | Speaker | TED.com