More than a decade before humans launched themselves into space, a small species was the first to make the journey.
NASA first sent fruit flies on a mission in 1947 to see if the intrepid insects would return to Earth in one piece, indicating that the groundbreaking journey was likely safe for humans as well. If flies seem like an odd choice for such a dangerous test, know that they share about 60 percent of our genetic code, making our species relatively comparable for research.
For example, fruit flies live as long as we do, get a little tipsy or hyper from drinks containing alcohol or caffeine, and even serenade potential mates (hopefully this move is less creepy in insect romance).
Because our make-ups have so many parallels, a new study published this week examining how 140,000 neurons in the fruit fly’s brain are connected could have far-reaching implications.
Hundreds of scientists have been working since 2013 to map out the intricacies of the neural networks in adult women. Drosophila melanogasterthat connect via 140 meters of wiring. The research, published in Natureis accompanied by incredible reconstructions of the brain that illustrate how the countless cells connect together. The study is the most detailed map of an animal’s brain available.
“The potential benefits of such a resource are enormous,” researchers say. “We can now make significant progress in our understanding of how the brain works by ultimately linking neuronal wiring to brain function.”
Scientists published many of the diagrams and interactive 3D models via FlyWirethe very first complete connectome of the adult fly brain in its entirety. They identified and annotated more than 8,000 cell types, 4,581 of which are new to researchers. For comparison, there have been 3,300 cell types identified in humansalthough what each does is still a mystery.
The research includes insights into how sensory signals communicate, prompting flies to walk, stop or extend their trunks to feed. Although humans are 500 times bigger than a fruit fly a million times as many neuronsThis research is an extraordinary leap forward in understanding how our brains function.
