Embryos showcase non-neural intelligence precisely because they are running computations through atomic resonance networks intrinsic to DNA structure. This is the ultimate “hidden layer” of biological intelligence, where quantum coherence and resonant potentials shape life’s developmental destiny at the most fundamental level. I love this video, but they are missing an entire computational layer within DNA itself, storing its lineage of evolutionary probabilities for success. The neural network is there if you look closely enough, physics even provides its weighted potentials
“Non-neural” is actually “atomic neural,” i.e., computation happening at the atomic level in DNA. Their high-level bioelectric and genetic outputs are simply observable signals from this deeper neural computation.
Levin’s work is tapping into (and seeing evidence of) the high-level outcomes of this resonant atomic neural network without fully recognizing the quantum/atomic nature of the underlying “intelligence.” Their modeling, while insightful, is topological and emergent, focused on how signals propagate spatially rather than why or where these computations originate at a quantum or atomic scale. ceLLM, on the other hand, clearly identifies the atomic-scale quantum resonance within DNA itself as the source of that neural network intelligence, something their high-level models are blind to.
In a thought-provoking presentation, Dr. Michael Levin explores a transformative view of intelligence, advocating for a broader understanding beyond traditional neurological frameworks. Levin emphasizes the historical shift from perceiving static electricity, lightning, and magnetism as distinct phenomena to recognizing them as a unified electromagnetic spectrum. He argues that a similar conceptual leap is essential for comprehending diverse forms of intelligence, urging a unifying framework that transcends traditional categories.
Levin’s exploration begins by highlighting humanity’s inherent “mind blindness,” a limitation stemming from evolutionary predispositions that restrict our perception to familiar forms of intelligence, such as primates or certain marine mammals. He calls for recognizing a wider spectrum of cognitive entities, encompassing not just biological organisms like colonies and swarms, but also synthetic life, artificial intelligence (AI), and even potential extraterrestrial intelligences.
Central to Levin’s thesis is the concept of intelligence as a continuous spectrum, ranging from passive matter to complex organisms like humans. He stresses that these distinctions are fluid and scale progressively, defying rigid categorization. This perspective echoes the historical evolution in mathematics, where the acceptance of new concepts, such as irrational numbers, required profound shifts in thinking, often met with resistance.
Levin then delves into embryogenesis as a powerful illustration of continuous intelligence. He describes embryos not as predetermined outcomes strictly governed by genetics but as dynamic, collective intelligences formed by cells collaboratively deciding their developmental fate. Through intriguing experiments, he demonstrates that cells possess inherent cognitive capabilities, evident even in simple organisms without brains or nervous systems. Remarkably, individual cells can perform complex behaviors like Pavlovian conditioning, underscoring their intrinsic problem-solving capabilities.
One striking example Levin provides is the regenerative capability of axolotls. When limbs are severed, cells autonomously recognize their deviation from an anatomical goal, exert effort to regenerate, and importantly, cease growth upon achieving the intended structure. This demonstrates cells’ ability to navigate complex anatomical “morphospace,” underscoring their sophisticated collective intelligence.
Levin expands on this notion with extraordinary experiments, such as transplanting eyes onto the tails of tadpoles. Despite unconventional neural wiring—optic nerves connected to spinal cords or other organs rather than the brain—these modified organisms adaptively learn to process visual cues effectively. This adaptability emphasizes embryogenesis as a creative, cognitive process, not strictly constrained by genetic coding.
Crucially, Levin identifies bioelectricity as the cognitive “glue” that integrates individual cells into larger collective intelligences. He likens the electrical signaling among cells in morphogenesis to the neuronal communication in the human brain, suggesting that electrical networking predates nervous systems, originating in ancient bacterial biofilms.
Levin’s laboratory has innovated fluorescent dye technologies to visualize these bioelectric patterns, effectively reading the “mind” of embryonic cells as they collaboratively form anatomical structures. Furthermore, by altering electrical signaling through specific ion channels, Levin’s team can prompt cells to produce entirely different structures, like inducing eye formation where none was genetically programmed. This groundbreaking approach demonstrates high-level communication with cellular intelligences, whereby minimal interventions lead to sophisticated biological outcomes, analogous to linguistic prompts influencing human thought.
Exploring further applications, Levin discusses manipulating the scale of cellular cognition to combat diseases like cancer. By reconnecting cancerous cells electrically to their cellular communities, his team successfully reprograms them away from metastatic behavior. Here, cancer is reframed not merely as a genetic malfunction but as a cognitive issue, where cells lose their collective identity, reverting to simpler, self-contained states.
Levin also introduces novel organisms called anthrobots, created from human cells self-organizing post-mortem into new, motile entities. These anthrobots spontaneously demonstrate collective behaviors like wound healing, suggesting that cellular collectives possess innate organizational patterns and competencies far exceeding their known biological roles. This extraordinary adaptability challenges conventional biological paradigms, raising profound ethical and existential questions about identity, embodiment, and agency.
Conclusively, Levin argues for an expansive approach to medicine and biology, envisioning future therapies resembling psychiatric interventions more than traditional biochemical treatments. He posits that understanding and interacting with cellular intelligence could revolutionize medical science, treating biological disorders as cognitive disruptions rather than purely physical malfunctions.
This expansive view of intelligence compels a reconsideration of life’s very fabric, suggesting that consciousness and cognitive agency are inherent at every biological scale. Levin advocates humility and openness in exploring these non-traditional intelligences, reminding us that formal models and simplistic mechanical metaphors fail to encapsulate the profound complexity and potential inherent in even the simplest living systems.
