Scientists Create Remote-Controlled Flies

[Roland99]

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/050411/ap/d89dbiro2.html

Yale University researchers say their study that used lasers to create remote-controlled fruit flies could lead to a better understanding of overeating and violence in humans.

Using the lasers to stimulate specific brain cells, researchers say they were able to make the flies jump, walk, flap their wings and fly.

Even headless flies took flight when researchers stimulated the correct neurons, according to the study, published in the April 7 issue of the journal Cell.

Scientists say the study could ultimately help identify the cells associated with psychiatric disorders, overeating and aggressiveness.

Wicked cool!

[The Doctor.]

1. Well, great....

just one more toy for the US military.

(It is kool though...)

[BlueJazz]

2. Cool!. Anyone here ever seen the Flys that were tied to the

little airplanes? It was neat as all get out..the damn things would actually power the small planes all around a room.

This one dude put about 6 flys on a little 'bomber" and got them to fly it...dmnest thing I've ever seen..

[icymist]

3. Why is overeating and aggressiveness/violence grouped into the

same sentence. What in the world can creating robot flies do that help studying these behaviors? I'm sorry, I don't get it.

[prodigal_green]

4. because finding a way to control either of them

will result in $$$$$$$ that's why.

[LiberallyInclined]

13. it's an advance in understanding brain functions

knowledge is power.

[VegasWolf]

5. Yes, cause the real ones would never go near Barbra Bush. n/t

[0007]

8. Fruit flies would love Babs' rotten stench - She ain't that pure

and those fruit flies aren't that well trained to stay away from their favorite lunch!

[mikelgb]

6. implications

think of appying this technique to a mosquito or more appropriately a swarm of killer bees, innocent accidental death?

[daleo]

7. A great way to spread biological weapons.

Although flies were always pretty good at that.

[Voltaire99]

9. Wicked cool? Here comes the next gen of small, mobile spy tools.

These flies are a CIA planner's wet dream.

Look for them buzzing around your college/bookstore/Internet cafe soon.

Keep a swatter handy. ;-)

[Roland99]

12. Geez...did this site get taken over by some conspiracy theorists??

[Voltaire99]

14. Easy there, sonny Jim

There's nothing conspiracy-minded about it. A similar project has been written about in the mainstream media involving mechanical micro flies.

It's funded by the usual suspects, the US Navy and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The military doesn't fund stuff just because it looks good on the cover of Wired.

See this CalTech journal article:

http://pr.caltech.edu/periodicals/EandS/articles/LXVI3/fly.html

[Roland99]

18. Oh...it was meant a bit tongue-in-cheek

;)

[Citizen Suspect]

10. You can attract more robot flies with motor oil than you can with honey.

But poop still works best.

[FreepFryer]

11. Note the Orwellian inclusion of 'aggressiveness'. QUESTION AUTHORITY!

[slackmaster]

15. Sounds too much like a headline from The Onion

Or the setup for a Woody Allen joke, like the one about a guy whose wife thinks she's a chicken.

[shockra]

16. Yeah, studying them crazed packs of pot-bellied killer flies...

Will learn us more about human beings.

Note to scientists: When you find flies swarming all over a carcass, it doesn't mean a gang of killer flies attacked it and took it down.

Also, flies gathered on heaps of dung doesn't mean that flies stay slim and trim by taking monstrous shits.

We all know who Beelzebub was, bub.

Oh, wait...*fruit* flies? Arrgh. Nevermind, then. They were spontaneously generated.

[Frederik]

17. Lord of the Flies