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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."

2 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. IOW by aBaldrich · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In other words, it can see with its nose.

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    In soviet russia the government regulates the companies.
  2. Re:What a wasted opportunity by amicusNYCL · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Right, and all they have to do is genetically engineer all the flies in the world, or at least every population of them.

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    "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black