How a revolutionary field is redefining what it means to be intelligent—from single cells to complex organisms
For centuries, the human brain has been regarded as the ultimate seat of intelligence—the complex biological computer that gives rise to our thoughts, memories, and consciousness. Neuroscience has made extraordinary progress in mapping this intricate organ, tracing the neural pathways that shape our every experience. But what if we've been thinking about thinking all wrong? What if cognition—the ability to acquire knowledge, make decisions, and learn from experience—isn't a special property that emerges only in complex brains, but a fundamental feature of life itself?
In this emerging view, a white blood cell chasing bacteria, a plant growing toward sunlight, and even the intricate dance of molecules within our DNA may all be performing acts of cognition. The implications are staggering: we may need to reconsider not just what it means to be intelligent, but what it means to be alive.
Cognition is exclusively a function of complex brains and nervous systems.
Cognition is a fundamental property of biological systems at all scales.
Cognitive biology represents a fundamental shift in how scientists understand the relationship between life and cognition. Unlike traditional neuroscience, which studies how brains produce cognitive functions, cognitive biology proposes that cognition is not solely a brain activity but a fundamental property of biological systems at multiple scales 1 .
Canadian mathematician-biologist and co-founder of cognitive biology 1
Slovak biochemist and co-founder of cognitive biology 1
Cognitive biology "was motivated entirely by the search for a more general biological theory" 1 , seeking to reunite the sciences of life and cognition on a common foundation.
What does it mean to say that biological processes exhibit cognition? Cognitive biologists point to several key principles that characterize cognitive processes across different scales of biological organization:
| Principle | Description | Biological Example |
|---|---|---|
| Information Acquisition | Systems actively gather information about their internal and external environments | Bacteria detecting chemical gradients in their environment |
| Evaluation | Capacity to determine whether a state or behavior is advantageous or harmful | Immune cells distinguishing between self and non-self |
| Decision-Making | Selecting among alternatives to further existential goals | A neuron strengthening or weakening synaptic connections |
| Memory | Retaining information about past experiences for future use | Cells maintaining receptor expression patterns based on prior exposures |
| Learning | Modifying behavior based on experience to improve outcomes | Plant growth adjustments following repeated light exposures |
| Goal-Directedness | Pursuing future ends and choosing means for their attainment | Developmental processes following specific pathways despite perturbations |
Cognitive processes extend across all biological scales, from molecular interactions to complex organism behavior
Some of the most compelling evidence for cognitive biology's perspective comes from recent research on brain organoids—three-dimensional cultures of human stem cell-derived neurons that replicate basic brain functions 6 . In a pioneering study at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, scientists investigated whether these simplified neural systems, no larger than a pen dot, could demonstrate the fundamental building blocks of learning and memory 6 .
The team first recorded the organoids' electrical activity to track how their neuronal networks developed and matured over time 6 .
They then stimulated the samples with precise electrical signals and certain drugs known to trigger neural plasticity 6 .
The researchers measured changes in gene expression upon these stimulations—observing which genes were activated or deactivated in response 6 .
Through combined analysis of gene expression and electrical recordings, the team determined whether the organoids developed receptors needed for memory, activated genes linked to learning, and established organized communication networks between neurons 6 .
The findings were striking. The organoids demonstrated synaptic plasticity—the ability to strengthen or weaken connections between neurons, which is widely considered the cellular basis of learning and memory 6 . After chemical stimulation, the researchers also found increased expression of immediate early genes that are normally activated when the brain forms memories 6 .
| Cognitive Capacity | Experimental Evidence | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Network Formation | Organoids formed connected neural networks that became more solid over time | Shows self-organization capability without external guidance |
| Optimal State Achievement | Networks reached a state between chaos and order preferred by human brains for efficient information processing | Suggests inherent drive toward computationally efficient states |
| Plasticity | Demonstrated synaptic plasticity—strengthening/weakening of connections | Reveals fundamental mechanism for information storage |
| Memory Marker Activation | Increased expression of immediate early genes after stimulation | Molecular evidence of memory-forming capacity |
"Together, these findings show that organoids have the fundamental features of learning and memory," Alam El Din concluded 6 .
How do researchers actually study cognitive processes at these fundamental biological levels? The field employs an array of sophisticated tools that allow scientists to peer into living systems with unprecedented resolution:
Measures electrical activity of the brain via scalp electrodes.
Records rapid neural responses with millisecond precision 5
Detects weak magnetic fields generated by neural activity.
Tracks brain activity with excellent spatial and temporal resolution 5
Stimulates neurons and immediately captures their structure at nanometer resolution.
Visualizes synaptic vesicle movement on a millisecond timescale 9
Uses fluorescent tags to visualize specific proteins or structures.
Locates proteins like intersectin within synapses 9
Creates 3D mini-organs from stem cells.
Studies basic cognitive processes in simplified human neural systems 6
Modifies organisms to remove or alter specific genes.
Tests protein functions by observing what happens in their absence 9
Cognitive biology represents more than just a specialization within biology—it offers a transformative perspective on life itself. By recognizing cognitive properties in biological processes from the molecular to the organismal level, this framework suggests that what we call "mind" may be far more widespread in nature than traditionally supposed.
Understanding how cognitive processes operate at the cellular level could revolutionize our approach to treating diseases.
Insights from biological cognition might inspire new forms of computation that are more adaptive and energy-efficient 6 .
As research continues to reveal cognitive-like activities in increasingly fundamental biological processes, we may be on the verge of a scientific revolution that fundamentally reshapes our understanding of what it means to be intelligent, to be alive, and to be part of the natural world. The tiny, learning organoids and the protein-mediated synaptic organization revealed in recent studies are just the beginning of what promises to be an extraordinary journey into the deep nature of biological cognition.