3D image reveals hidden neurons in fruit-fly brain
Scientists have produced a 3D image of a fruit fly's brain that's so detailed, researchers can trace connections between neurons across the entire organ.
Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) display a suite of complex behaviours, including courtship dances and learning. But understanding the neural networks that drive these behaviours remains a challenge. The data from this image, published on 19 July in Cell, resolved the insect's brain down to individual cells — revealing some neurons that have never been seen before. This offers scientists a new tool with which to study fruit-fly behaviour and allows them to compare the insects' neural networks with that of other species.
Researchers cut a fly's brain — roughly the size of a poppy seed — into more than 7,000 slices and shot a beam of electrons through the sample. A high-speed camera captured high-resolution pictures of each slice — a process never used before — generating roughly 21 million images that the team stitched together using custom computer software.
Also at Science Magazine, Science News, Discovery Magazine, and National Geographic.
A Complete Electron Microscopy Volume of the Brain of Adult Drosophila melanogaster (open, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.06.019) (DX)
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 21 2018, @06:15PM (5 children)
they hope to scan a politician's brain in the same manner
(Score: 3, Informative) by fyngyrz on Saturday July 21 2018, @06:38PM
...pretty sure it'll take fewer slices...
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 21 2018, @07:39PM
That would be easy to prove as made up data.
Everyone know's politicians do not have brains.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 21 2018, @08:58PM
They said fruit fly but they really meant HRC.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 22 2018, @10:37AM
"they hope to scan a politician's brain in the same manner"
Actually, I would suggest one of our very own soylentils. Perhaps that Runaway dude, or the Buzztard, or JMo, or maybe even VLM. Just sayin'.
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Sunday July 22 2018, @02:34PM
The scientology's not ready yet, they're working on the Brain Scan. Then they need to do the Brain Copy. Possibly the Brain Fax. They'll be able to scan the brains of our very best politicians. Fax that to a lot of places. And make copies in those places. So it's like having the same guy -- the very best guy -- in a lot of places.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 21 2018, @06:35PM
That sounds pretty fucking big. Fruit flies didn't seem much bigger than a poppy seed to me.
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Saturday July 21 2018, @08:30PM (2 children)
Anyone have an inkling as to why a fruit fly was chosen? Is it the smallest/most common animal brain to work with? There must be a reason.
(Score: 4, Informative) by deimtee on Saturday July 21 2018, @08:59PM
They are one of the most common experimental subjects. They are not dangerous, breed quickly, are easy to keep, and PETA types don't care if you torture them.
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 21 2018, @09:18PM
To defend the bananas. We must know the enemy more than he knows himself; hence the scanning of their evil anti-banana brains.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 21 2018, @08:51PM (4 children)
#CrookedHillary is having an orgasm at the thought of cutting Trump's brain into 7,000 slices and shooting a bean if electrons through the sample. Get over it woman, you lost.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 22 2018, @01:23AM
"shooting a bean if electrons"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 22 2018, @02:56AM (2 children)
"CrookedHillary is having an orgasm". I wanted to not see that... Even in my mind.
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Sunday July 22 2018, @04:32AM (1 child)
That would explain the seizure-like convulsions...
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2, Troll) by realDonaldTrump on Sunday July 22 2018, @02:18PM
She has big problems with her brain. People are saying it's epilepsy. A lot of people are saying epilepsy. Look at the blue glasses!!!!