Scientists Map Entire Brain of Adult Fruit Fly

Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons

The Spin

Narrative A

This groundbreaking research opens new possibilities for understanding brain function and could inspire novel machine-learning architectures. The complete connectome of a complex living creature provides a valuable resource for studying brain organization and behavior. It's a crucial step towards unraveling the mysteries of more advanced brains, including human cognition.

Narrative B

Mapping increasingly complex brains is an enormous challenge that may yield little benefit. While the fruit fly larval brain is impressive, it's still far removed from human brain complexity. The time, resources, and computational power required to map more advanced brains could be better spent on other neuroscience research avenues that directly impact human health and cognition.

Metaculus Prediction


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