Researchers Find Secret Behind Biological Modularity; Artificial Intelligence Gets a Boost

Artificial Intelligence may be getting a boost. Cornell University engineering and robotics researchers simulated 25,000 generations of evolution within computers and have discovered why biological networks tend to be organized as modules. This new finding could lead to a deeper understanding of the evolution of complexity-and could evolve artificial intelligence to a point where robot brains could function like animal brains.

For some reason, biological entities tend to be organized into modules. For example, brains and gene regulatory systems form into dense clusters of interconnected parts within a complex network. For years, scientists have wondered why exactly organisms that range from humans to bacteria have evolved in this modular fashion. The prevailing assumption was that entities that were modular could respond to change more quickly, and therefore had an evolutionary advantage. However, this theory may not be enough to explain the phenomena's origin.

The new research conducted by Hod Lipson and associates found that evolution produces modules not because they create more adaptable designs, but because modular designs have fewer and shorter network connections. This means that, as far as evolution goes, it's cheaper to make modular designs since the "cost of wiring" is expensive.

The new findings, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society, simulated the evolution networks with and without a cost for network connections. They found that without any cost, modules never form while with a cost, they will form.

These results show why modules are almost a near-universal presence in biological systems. In addition, this understanding will help scientists create more complex and sophisticated computational brains. This could be a huge leap forward when it comes to artificial intelligence.