Yes, you read correctly: IBM is prepping Watson to take on America's brightest minds on the nation's most famous knowledge showdown. They're building superfast, superintelligent technology (it's not called a supercomputer for nothing) that can think like a human, only better. And being that I think like a human, only worse, I'm feeling particularly vulnerable.

Watson may not look like much -- a bunch of chips, wires, and casings, really -- but don't let appearances deceive you. This thing boasts cutting-edge technology that can rival the knowledge base and brain-power of your favorite Einstein-loving smartypants.

"Watson is a compelling example of how the planet ... is becoming smarter," boasts IBM CEO Samuel J. Palmisano.

So, what exactly does that mean? I'm no genius, so I turned to IBM researcher and Watson project lead Dave Ferrucci for some fast answers. He says Watson starts by "studying" -- and we're talking an entire college career's worth of material.