--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not telepathy. It's not the Borg…" description: "\"It's not telepathy. It's not the Borg. But we created a new central nervous system made of two brains.\" — Miguel Nicolelis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/miguel-nicolelis-25910_brains_it-s-not-telepathy-it-s-not-the-borg-but_43692.jpg" --- # It's not telepathy. It's not the Borg. But we created a… ![“It's not telepathy. It's not the Borg. But we created a new central nervous system made of two brains.” quote by Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/miguel-nicolelis-25910_brains_it-s-not-telepathy-it-s-not-the-borg-but_43692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/miguel-nicolelis-25910_brains_it-s-not-telepathy-it-s-not-the-borg-but_43692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/miguel-nicolelis-25910_brains_it-s-not-telepathy-it-s-not-the-borg-but_43692.jpg) > “It's not telepathy. It's not the Borg. But we created a new central nervous system made of two brains.” [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes a novel brain‑computer interface that links two human brains, forming a shared neural network that functions like a collective nervous system. **In simple terms:** A brain‑to‑brain link creates a joint nervous system. Key Takeaway Interconnected brains can act as a unified system. Themes neuroscience technology human augmentation collective cognition cybernetics Mood wonder cautious optimism Type visionary scientific When to use this quote - research labs experimenting with neural links - future medical therapies for paralysis - collaborative problem‑solving across individuals - enhanced learning environments Key Concepts brain‑computer interface neural synchronization shared perception Practical Applications - developing neuroprosthetic communication tools - creating shared virtual reality experiences Questions to Reflect On - How might shared neural networks change personal identity? - What ethical safeguards are needed for brain‑to‑brain interfaces? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Borg Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borg-created-647894/) [Brains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brains/) [Central](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central/) [Central Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-nervous-407640/) [Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Nervous system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous-system/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) [Telepathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telepathy/) [Telepathy Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telepathy-borg-647893/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [He smiles so much, I don't think he has a central nervous system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/he-smiles-so-much-i-don-t-think-he-has-a-central-nervous-system/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“Harmony is everything, your central nervous system can bear witness to that in every area of your life...if you let your soul step to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-bond/harmony-is-everything-your-central-nervous-system-can-bear-witness-to/) [Tracey Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-bond/) > [The deep secret of the brain is that not only the spinal cord but the entire central nervous system works this way: internally generated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/the-deep-secret-of-the-brain-is-that-not-only-the-spinal-cord-but-the/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [The electric age ... established a global network that has much the character of our central nervous system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-electric-age-established-a-global-network-that-has-much-the/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The experience of truth has to be felt on the central nervous system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-experience-of-truth-has-to-be-felt-on-the-central-nervous-system/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [Perhaps of all the most basic elements of music, rhythm most directly affects our central nervous system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-crumb/perhaps-of-all-the-most-basic-elements-of-music-rhythm-most-directly/) [George Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-crumb/) > [You cannot intellectualize the Divine. You have to experience it on your central nervous system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/you-cannot-intellectualize-the-divine-you-have-to-experience-it-on/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [With the arrival of electric technology, man has extended, or set outside himself, a live model of the central nervous system itself. To the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/with-the-arrival-of-electric-technology-man-has-extended-or-set/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The most venomous animal that lives in the ocean is the box jellyfish. And every one of those barbs is sending that venom into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-nyad/the-most-venomous-animal-that-lives-in-the-ocean-is-the-box-jellyfish/) [Diana Nyad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-nyad/) > [Further study of central nervous action, however, finds central inhibition too extensive and ubiquitous to make it likely that it is confined solely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-scott-sherrington/further-study-of-central-nervous-action-however-finds-central/) [Charles Scott Sherrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-scott-sherrington/) > [In my view, while the single neuron is the basic anatomical and information processing-signaling unit of the brain, it is not capable of generating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/in-my-view-while-the-single-neuron-is-the-basic-anatomical-and/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [“He felt eyes suddenly upon him because marital telepathy is a terrible thing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/he-felt-eyes-suddenly-upon-him-because-marital-telepathy-is-a/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“My vision is to help each man, woman and child connect with their inherent psychic ability. I believe that each person has the potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-anastasi/my-vision-is-to-help-each-man-woman-and-child-connect-with-their/) [Sandy Anastasi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-anastasi/) > [“Yet even without saying, each knew what the other was thinking, and, more acutely, what the other was feeling -- this is a further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/yet-even-without-saying-each-knew-what-the-other-was-thinking-and/) [John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More by Miguel Nicolelis > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [There are several patients - there are thousands of patients, tens of thousands of patients, that carry either a stimulator in the brain or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/there-are-several-patients-there-are-thousands-of-patients-tens-of/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [You could have all the computer chips ever in the world and you won’t create a consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/you-could-have-all-the-computer-chips-ever-in-the-world-and-you-won-t/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We cannot even predict what kinds of emergent properties would appear when animals begin interacting as part of a brain-net. In theory, you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-cannot-even-predict-what-kinds-of-emergent-properties-would-appear/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We have about 100 million cells interconnected in our brains. They communicate with one another through electrical signals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-have-about-100-million-cells-interconnected-in-our-brains-they/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We want kids to think that they can think about science. They don't need to just play soccer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-want-kids-to-think-that-they-can-think-about-science-they-don-t/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [Impossible is just the possible that someone has not put enough effort to make it come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/impossible-is-just-the-possible-that-someone-has-not-put-enough/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We started all this research way back in the early 1990s, developing a technique that allows us to record the electrical signals produced by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-started-all-this-research-way-back-in-the-early-1990s-developing-a/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We basically created a computational unit out of two brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-basically-created-a-computational-unit-out-of-two-brains/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [The brain needs to have a story; it needs to have a logical screenplay telling where we're coming from and what we're going to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/the-brain-needs-to-have-a-story-it-needs-to-have-a-logical-screenplay/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [It's the first time an exoskeleton has been controlled by brain activity and offered feedback to the patients. Doing a demonstration in a stadium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/it-s-the-first-time-an-exoskeleton-has-been-controlled-by-brain/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [I have no military application in my research. You know, we are all involved into rehabilitation medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-have-no-military-application-in-my-research-you-know-we-are-all/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We want to galvanize people's imaginations. With enough political will and investment, we could make wheelchairs obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-want-to-galvanize-people-s-imaginations-with-enough-political-will/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [Essentially, all expressions of human nature ever produced, from a caveman's paintings to Mozart's symphonies and Einstein's view of the universe, emerge from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/essentially-all-expressions-of-human-nature-ever-produced-from-a/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [The kind of neuroscience that I do and my colleagues do is almost like the weatherman. We are always chasing storms. We want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/the-kind-of-neuroscience-that-i-do-and-my-colleagues-do-is-almost/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) [Explore all 22 Miguel Nicolelis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) ## More Brains quotes > [Our brains are great at knowing what to forget. We actually have to teach computers to do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/our-brains-are-great-at-knowing-what-to-forget-we-actually-have-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Do not borrow the productions of other men's brains and pens and recite them as a lesson; but make the most of the talents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/do-not-borrow-the-productions-of-other-men-s-brains-and-pens-and/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [Brains without competitive hearts are rudderless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/brains-without-competitive-hearts-are-rudderless/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it. Every single time you lift off the bone and open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/when-i-look-at-the-human-brain-i-m-still-in-awe-of-it-every-single/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [The average investor does significantly worse than a simple index... It's literally because of the way our brains are wired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-shaughnessy/the-average-investor-does-significantly-worse-than-a-simple-index-it/) [James O'Shaughnessy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-shaughnessy/) > [Nature abhors a vacuum. When a head lacks brains, nature fills it with conceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nature-abhors-a-vacuum-when-a-head-lacks-brains-nature-fills-it-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In 'Self Comes to Mind' I pay a lot of attention to simple creatures without brains or minds, because those 'cartooned abstractions of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/in-self-comes-to-mind-i-pay-a-lot-of-attention-to-simple-creatures/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [It may well be our brains are wired up to be slightly more optimistic than they should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/it-may-well-be-our-brains-are-wired-up-to-be-slightly-more-optimistic/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [“Archaic humans paid for their large brains in two ways. Firstly, they spent more time in search of food. Secondly, their muscles atrophied. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/archaic-humans-paid-for-their-large-brains-in-two-ways-firstly-they/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > ['I don't need brains,' says the billionaire contemptuously. 'I'm brainy enough myself!' The broker cries out in desperation, 'What, in heaven's name, do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/i-don-t-need-brains-says-the-billionaire-contemptuously-i-m-brainy/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [I like to think our brains are a bit like algorithms. Whatever you give it and feed it, you get out the product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-like-to-think-our-brains-are-a-bit-like-algorithms-whatever-you/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [“It is now known that babies’ brains develop according to how much they are loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-palmer/it-is-now-known-that-babies-brains-develop-according-to-how-much-they/) [Gabrielle Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-palmer/) > [“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/there-is-hope-even-when-your-brain-tells-you-there-isn-t/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Our brains turn into simple signal-processing units, quickly shepherding information into consciousness and then back out again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-carr/our-brains-turn-into-simple-signal-processing-units-quickly/) [Nicholas Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-carr/) > [“I hope you're at peace. I hope you... I hope you're in heaven, and you fell in love with someone who treats you better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kirkman/i-hope-you-re-at-peace-i-hope-you-i-hope-you-re-in-heaven-and-you/) [Robert Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kirkman/) [Browse all 532 Brains quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brains/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not telepathy. It's not the Borg. 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