Second complete map of a fruit fly brain completed
On Friday, researchers announced the completion of a complete map of all neurons in fruit fly brains. This work was carried out by biologists at Janelia Ranch of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and computer scientists from Google, with the aim of accelerating neurobiological research and improving analytical tools for more complex nervous systems, including potential vertebrates. Previously, the connectome of female fruit flies was completed at the beginning of this year, but constructing a complete map of hundreds of millions of synapses was beyond the ability of humans to complete independently within a manageable time frame. The team believes that in the long term, this connectome will provide valuable tools for understanding how the brain functions.