Scientists are trying to gain an ever-increasing understanding of the human brain and sometimes experiment with animals or, in this case, insects. Indeed, neuroscientists carried out an experiment on a fly, which was a real success.
The brain of a controlled fly
They tried to take control of the insect’s brain, in order to make it perform certain movements with the one and only help of a remote control. For this, it was first necessary to create genetically modified flies having the particularity of having, in their brain, a channel sensitive to heat. Once activated, this pushes the insects to spread their wings.
In addition, they installed a trigger in their brains that begins to produce heat in the presence of a magnetic field. Half a second following this release by the simple press of a button, the fly spread its wings.
A major step forward
This scientific advance paves the way for genetic control of certain animal species. Above all, however, researchers want to discover new ways of approaching the understanding of the human brain. And, who knows, find new treatments for certain neurological diseases.
