Scientists from the Netherlands and South Korea have just built a device dubbed "iontronic memristor (memory resistor)," or in other words, an artificial synapse. This device, just a little bit wider than a human hair, mimics the part of the brain that helps us think and learn. This isn't the first time scientists have tried to tackle creating a device that can resemble the thinking of the human brain, but this one's special, because it's not built like the others -- it's built like our brains.
So, what is this brain-like device, and why is it so special? Get ready for some science talk. The iontronic memristor has a tapered microfluidic channel, shaped like a cone, inside which sits a solution of salt (potassium chloride) dissolved in water. Yes, it's literally just salt and water.
