dopetalk does not endorse any advertised product nor does it accept any liability for it's use or misuse

This website has run out of funding so feel free to contribute if you can afford it (see footer)

Author Topic: Scientists use laser-powered mind control to make flies flirt  (Read 3776 times)

Offline Chip (OP)

  • Server Admin
  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2014
  • Location: Australia
  • Posts: 6648
  • Reputation Power: 0
  • Chip has hidden their reputation power
  • Gender: Male
  • Last Login:Today at 05:53:23 PM
  • Deeply Confused Learner
  • Profession: IT Engineer
source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-use-laser-powered-mind-control-to-make-flies-flirt-9165755.html%3famp

Scientists use laser-powered mind control to make flies flirt

Neurons treated with a heat-activated protein were activated with infrared lasers to trigger courtship behaviour

3 March 2014

Neuroscientists have successfully controlled a fly’s behaviour with thermogenetics – a new technique that uses lasers to remotely activate brain neurons.

Using the whimsically named Fly Mind-Altering Device (also known as FlyMAD), researchers were able to trigger complex courtship behaviour in a target fly, essentially causing the insect to ‘fall in love’ with a ball of wax.


The research, led by Barry Dickson of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Ashburn, Virginia, is similar to optogenetics; a method that activates neurons using light and that has previously been used to control behaviour in mice.

We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
From USD 0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.Subscribe now
However, while optogenetics require fibre-optic cables to be embedded into mice skulls to activate the genetically-altered neurons, thermogenetics achieves the same effect by using infrared lasers to deliver the ‘instructions’ directly to the fly’s brain.


Scientists have previously influenced fly behaviour by adding a heat-activated protein called TRPA1 to neurons associated with certain actions. When flies modified in this way are placed in a hot box the targeted neurons activate and trigger certain behaviours.

FlyMAD, however, uses a video camera to track the fly as it moves around a box before directing an infrared laser at the insect and activating the parts of its neural circuit that control courtship.

In a video from Nature, the subject fly can be seen attempting to mate with a ball of wax, circling and ‘singing’ to it by vibrating its wings. This courtship behaviour continued for 15 minutes after the laser had been shut off “suggesting that the heat had triggered a lasting, complex behavioural state”.

Another test conducted by the neuroscientists was able to instantly make flies walk backwards by activating TRPA1 that had been added to neurons associated with muscular coordination.

The paper written by Dickson and his team is currently awaiting peer review, although some neuroscientists have already welcomed thermogenetics as easier to use than current optogenetic techniques.

Speaking to Nature, Dickson said that he would like to combine the TRPA1 control method with an alternative technique that uses a different light-activated protein known as channelrhodopsin.  Scientists say they could then activate different neural circuits at the same time in order to “see which one wins”.
« Last Edit: July 05, 2019, 05:28:03 AM by Chip »
friendly
0
funny
0
informative
0
agree
0
disagree
0
like
0
dislike
0
No reactions
No reactions
No reactions
No reactions
No reactions
No reactions
No reactions
Our Discord Server invitation link is https://discord.gg/jB2qmRrxyD

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
0 Replies
7674 Views
Last post July 27, 2015, 09:11:48 PM
by smfadmin
0 Replies
2533 Views
Last post January 02, 2017, 09:11:15 AM
by Chip
1 Replies
5707 Views
Last post September 04, 2017, 09:34:45 PM
by Joseph Hopeless
4 Replies
6372 Views
Last post February 03, 2018, 05:20:29 PM
by DreamerOnTheRun
1 Replies
4842 Views
Last post May 01, 2018, 02:27:24 PM
by smfadmin
0 Replies
4242 Views
Last post May 02, 2018, 03:38:53 PM
by Chip
2 Replies
2735 Views
Last post January 14, 2019, 12:18:18 PM
by Anti-hero
0 Replies
3189 Views
Last post July 09, 2019, 04:59:12 AM
by Chip
0 Replies
4352 Views
Last post July 13, 2019, 07:41:56 AM
by Chip
1 Replies
6673 Views
Last post July 24, 2019, 02:36:03 PM
by radioactive_man


dopetalk does not endorse any advertised product nor does it accept any liability for it's use or misuse





TERMS AND CONDITIONS

In no event will d&u or any person involved in creating, producing, or distributing site information be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, special or consequential damages arising out of the use of or inability to use d&u. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless d&u, its domain founders, sponsors, maintainers, server administrators, volunteers and contributors from and against all liability, claims, damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from the use of any part of the d&u site.


TO USE THIS WEBSITE YOU MUST AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ABOVE


Founded December 2014
SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal