On one hand, there is the universe with its galaxies, and on the other hand, there is the brain with its neural cells.
Italian researchers have attempted to compare these two most complex networks ever perceived by humans, and the results are incredibly impressive. For instance, the human brain operates through a network of nearly 70 billion neurons, while the universe is estimated to possess at least 100 billion galaxies, according to a report published in the journal Frontiers of Physics.
Simulating the Structure of a Galaxy Constructed based on Dark Matter Filaments
In both systems, they connect with each other through intricate networks, spanning along interwoven pathways and junctions. Such interconnected nodes are found in both the universe and the human brain. And these long pathways make up only about 30% of the mass in both systems. Within them, approximately 70% of the mass is composed of passive components, such as fluids in the brain and dark energy in the case of the universe.
Dark energy is a mysterious force driving the accelerated expansion of the universe over time. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that researchers first inferred the existence of this enigmatic force. To further understand these similarities, researchers compare the formation of galaxy networks with regions of the brain. Specifically, they aim to determine how matter is distributed across these seemingly disparate systems.
“We calculated the spectral density of both systems, which is a technique commonly used when studying the distribution of galaxies in space,” said astrophysicist Franco Vazza from the University of Bologna in Italy. He collaborated with neuroanatomist Alberto Feletti from the University of Verona to conduct this study.
“Our analysis results show that the distribution of fluctuation frequencies within the cerebellar neural network occurs on a scale ranging from 1 micrometer to 0.2 mm, similar to the matter distribution process in the universe. The only difference is that the second network operates on a much larger scale, spanning from 5 million to 500 million light-years,” Vazza explained.
They also examined how neural networks and galaxies connect with each other, and once again, they discovered remarkable similarities, adhering to the same laws of physics.