An adult fruit fly brain has been mapped—human brains could follow
For now, it is the most sophisticated connectome ever made
FRUIT FLIES are smart. For a start—the clue is in the name—they can fly. They can also flirt; fight; form complex, long-term memories of their surroundings; and even warn one another about the presence of unseen dangers, such as parasitic wasps.
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This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “On the fly”
From the October 5th 2024 edition
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AI researchers receive the Nobel prize for physics
The award, to Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield, stretches the definition of the field
A Nobel prize for the discovery of micro-RNA
These tiny molecules regulate genes and control how cells develop and behave
AI offers an intriguing new way to diagnose mental-health conditions
Models look for sound patterns undetectable by the human ear
Why it’s so hard to tell which climate policies actually work
Better tools are needed to analyse their effects
Isolated communities are more at risk of rare genetic diseases
The isolation can be geographic or cultural
Immune therapy shows promise for asthma, heart disease—and even ageing
Making treatment quick and affordable will be the challenge