Evolution, as ever, hard at work
Posted 07.13.2012 at 11:31 am
14 Comments
Drosophila
Bbski
Geneticists in Canada have finally succeeded in an experiment that lasted for 40 generations. Generations of fruit flies, I mean. The flies were kept in containers, and lights were repeatedly flashed on them. When the number of flashes was two or four, the container was given a shake.
At that point, if you're a creature that can count, you'd start hunkering down for a shake when you counted that the even-numbered flash was coming up. The flies didn't do this -- not until they had evolved to learn how, which took 40 generations.
The researchers, from Ontario's Wilfrid Laurier University and the U. of California, say that this may shed light on the genetic factors influencing human mathematical ability. Personally, I'd think breeding numerate flies would be enough of an end in itself.
[Wired UK]
14 Comments
To comment, please Login.
Popular Tags
Science
140 years of Popular Science at your fingertips.
Innovation Challenges
Popular Science+ For iPad
Each issue has been completely reimagined for your iPad. See our amazing new vision for magazines that goes far beyond the printed page
Download Our App
Stay up to date on the latest news of the future of science and technology from your iPhone or Android phone with full articles, images and offline viewing
Follow Us On Twitter
Featuring every article from the magazine and website, plus links from around the Web. Also see our PopSci DIY feed
February 2013: How To Build A Hero
Engineers are racing to build robots that can take the place of rescuers. That story, plus a city that storms can't break and how having fun could lead to breakthrough science.
Also! A leech detective, the solution to America's train-crash problems, the world's fastest baby carriage, and more.
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
Science
- Obama's Inaugural Address: "We Will Respond To The Threat Of Climate Change"
- The Human Race Will Come To An End. What's Next?
- Harvard Professor Seeks 'Adventurous' Human Woman To Birth A Neanderthal Baby (Update)
- Here's How Big A Problem Wolves Are For Cattle Ranchers [Infographic]
- Are We Running Out Of Scientific Geniuses?
- FYI: Do Men Really Fall Apart When A Female Soldier Gets Killed?
- Science Confirms The Obvious: Americans Are Selfish
- Readers Sound Off: How Should Obama Go About Combating Climate Change?
- Can I Have A Pet Fox?
- Why Do We Want To Squeeze Cute Things?
Most Emailed
Science
- Was Iran's Monkey Launch A Fake?
- Birds Go Gray In Old Age, And The Ladies Like It
- As The Earth Warms, The Lure Of The Arctic's Natural Resources Grows
- A Shark In The Hallway And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Physicists Create Crystals That Are Nearly Alive
- A Shark In The Hallway And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Aerial Panoramas Capture Four Kamchatkan Volcanoes Erupting Simultaneously
- US Energy Secretary Steven Chu Will Resign
- EU Invests $1.35 Billion To Find Practical Applications For Graphene
- FYI: What Gives Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco His Mutant-Like Arm?
Most Viewed
Science
- Was Iran's Monkey Launch A Fake?
- Birds Go Gray In Old Age, And The Ladies Like It
- As The Earth Warms, The Lure Of The Arctic's Natural Resources Grows
- A Shark In The Hallway And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Physicists Create Crystals That Are Nearly Alive
- A Shark In The Hallway And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Aerial Panoramas Capture Four Kamchatkan Volcanoes Erupting Simultaneously
- US Energy Secretary Steven Chu Will Resign
- EU Invests $1.35 Billion To Find Practical Applications For Graphene
- FYI: What Gives Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco His Mutant-Like Arm?
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Contributing Writers:
Clay Dillow | Email
Rebecca Boyle | Email
Colin Lecher | Email
Emily Elert | Email
Intern:
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
This actually a very pretty fly. It kind of reminds me of a bee, too.
..........................................
See life in all its beautiful colors, and
from different perspectives too!
Question, who funds the study to see if flies can count? Don't get me wrong, if this ends up saving lives or creating something important, I wont complain. But seriously? Thats like the shrimp treadmill! Seriously?!?!?
@TeslasDisciple
Do you truly not know what psychology is? Your comment is absurd. This IS good science. An achievement that doesn't need to be looked down upon because it is not based creating some type of medicinal drug? You need to study psychology, wait don't do that because then your entire life will be wasted posting comments like you have just done.
Evolution? How sad, how nieve... how hilarious XD
Just pointing out the error.
So we're breeding animals to learn how to count so that someday, when they escape their torment-cages, they know exactly how many of us to kill.
Nice.
@anthonydewarpoker
Actually Teslas was hoping for something like this...
Scientists hope to create fruit fly's that can lift their right legs on an even number of light flashes, and lift their left legs on an odd number of flashes. Experts are speculating the fruit flies will create quite a buzz on prime time television because with the right combination of even and odd flashes the flies could actually recreate dance moves. FOX's So You Think You Can Dance, has entered into negotiations with the researchers to have 100 dancing fruit flys participate in the kick-off of season 8.
You know, they should have taken this a step further and tested generations #41+ to see if the knowledge was passed on or if generation #40 just got lucky.
@ NoOneYouKnow
Agreed.
not about the evolution thing, I don't even know where you're coming from with that, but hopefully they followed the Scientific Method and made sure the results were reproduceable. Although, an entire generation learning, instead of just a small percentage of a generation, is quite remarkable.
Amazing, if you can see the possibilities this brings about, you probably shouldn't be posting here.
Evolution is a tool of environmental adaptation, these fly's are adapting to said environment over a course of time or generations.
Wow! More actual proof of evolution.
Ignorant people will not like this one bit.
Which is why they shouldn't read science articles.
Its hard to stay ignorant if you keep learning stuff.
Nanospecs
40 generations. That's how many reincarnations it took us to pass calculus,
evolution. yay!
evolution. yay!