Slashdot Mirror
A Genetically Engineered Fly That Can Smell Light
An anonymous reader writes "It sounds like a cool — if somewhat pointless — super-powered insect: a fly that can smell light! Researchers added a light-sensitive protein to a fruit fly's olfactory neurons, which caused the neurons to fire when the fly was exposed to a certain wavelength of blue light. Adding the protein specifically to neurons that respond to good smells, like bananas, makes for a light-seeking fly."
Great work guys. You just invented moths.
Harry! Harry! Don't look into the light!!!
I can't help it... it's sooo beautifull!!!!
zzzzzzzzzttt
Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
Finally, we have been able to achieve what we always needed: flies that can compete with human art critics.
On the other hand these flies are not as advanced as Arizona lawmakers, who apparently can feel if one is an illegal alien by 'looking at brands of shoes' (incidentally, will this not force the cops to hire a disproportional number of gays into service?)
You can't handle the truth.
Next test subject: Toucan Sam.
Does it make you happy you're so strange?
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. heh.
There are fewer illiterates than people who can't read.
Well? I'm waiting.
Learn to love Alaska
"I love the smell of blue in the morning..."
This ain't rocket surgery.
Then how does it smell?
Terrible! Da dum dum.
...its smells so bright it makes your eyes water.
That's for favorable genes. I believe that, from the fly's point-of-view, believing that blue light is food (and potentially causing it to fly into a human-produced trap) would be all that favorable.
A fly that can smell light? Big deal.
My wife says that my feet smell evil.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Harvey was doing you a solid.
I would much rather steer towards the girls associated with strawberries than the "girls" associated with bananas.