The Evolving Mind: A Journey from Worm Brains to Deep Blue

From the humble beginnings of early bilaterian worms with simple steering abilities, to the astonishing intellect of modern humans and AI, the evolution of the mind has followed a twisting path. Join us on a thrilling expedition through the major breakthroughs that shaped intelligence over the ages.

We'll start deep in the oceans 500 million years ago, when the first vertebrates hit upon reinforcement learning through trial and error. This unlocked pattern recognition, spatial mapping, and a million other cognitive feats. But the greatest innovation was yet to come - curiosity, which sparked life's enduring drive to learn.

Move ahead to the Cambrian explosion, when minds multiplied miracously. We'll glimpse ancestral fish and uncover the ancient neural circuits still wiring our decisions today. Then fast-forward to our own ancestors, who dreamed up whole new ways to imagine and plan.

The story climaxes in the digital age, as neural networks crack games once thought impossible. Discover how research on worms, fish and cats inspired DeepBlue's victory - and glimpse where the evolution of thought may lead tomorrow in our quest to build artificial general intelligence.

Join me for a captivating romp through the swirling currents of neuroevolutionary time. This is a mind-blowing journey you won't want to miss!