Fruit Fly Brain Map Completed, Accelerating Neurobiology Research

Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus and Google have completed a map of every neuron in the brain of a male fruit fly. This 'connectome' provides a valuable tool for neurobiologists to understand how the brain works. The collaboration between biologists and computer scientists has refined tools that can be applied to more complex nervous systems, including those of vertebrates. The map of the fruit fly brain is a significant step towards understanding the intricacies of the brain, which is a task that cannot be achieved by humans in a manageable amount of time.