The parallels between biological brains and the global Internet has been discussed in some details in [28]. In this section we want to summarize some elements and provide some recent examples and applications.
In 1983 Russell [42] proposed a Global Brain that might emerge from a
worldwide network of humans who were highly connected through communications.
He based his argument on the observation that throughout
evolution qualitative transitions to a new level of organization have been
observed to occur in several instances where a system attains approximately
10 billion (ten to the tenth power) units that are tightly but flexibly
coupled. Examples
include the number of atoms in a bio-molecule, the number of molecules in a cell,
and the number of cells in the cortex of the human brain. Since the world
population (5.7 billion, 1994) is within an order of magnitude of
ten to the tenth and growing, the threshold for a new level of organization, by his
arguments, could be reached soon
. Thus Russell saw the network of interconnected humans
forming a Global Brain; we expand the concept to include computers -- not only as
communication links between humans, as Russell used them, but as active
information-processors alongside
humans. Simulations in this environment will have to include life-like, agent based
elements (see e.g. [20]).