What’s in the news?
A study by researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara has revealed that fruit fly larvae (Drosophila) can sense and respond to electric fields—a trait earlier believed to be limited to animals like sharks, bees, and platypuses.
Key Findings:
Electroreception Ability:
Larvae move towards the negative electrode when placed in an electric field.
Neural Basis:
Sensory neurons responsible are located on either side of the head.
Only one specific neuron in the cluster gets activated when the negative electrode is behind the head.
Neuron gets inhibited when the negative electrode is in front → triggers reorientation.
Controlled Testing:
Confounding factors were eliminated, confirming the direct response to electric fields (not to other stimuli like heat or moisture).
Significance:
Enhances our understanding of electrosensory systems in animals.
Offers insight into primitive neural mechanisms of navigation.
Opens up new avenues in neuroscience and bioengineering (e.g., bio-inspired sensors).
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