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Takes Of Extreme Creativity: How To Make A Backpack For A Dragonfly

07/06/2013

That’s not a metaphor. To study insect flight, scientists had to outfit dragonflies with the tiniest of all carry-ons. (...)
That’s not a metaphor. To study insect flight, had to with the tiniest of all carry-ons. When you chase a frisbee, you predict where the frisbee will land so that you can be there to catch it. The same thing happens when you change lanes on the highway. You make a prediction about where the car needs to go and accelerate just enough to change position without overshooting. In the animal world, this type of prediction making is literally a matter of survival. It’s how many animals catch their dinner. But how do animals do this when the prey--like the frisbee--is a moving target? Scientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute wanted to study neurons in the dragonfly brain, mid-hunt. But there was a problem. "The have to be flying," says Dr. Anthony Leonardo. "And traditionally they’ve been immobilized." To study the insects in flight, Dr. Leonardo and his team decided to their little subjects with high-tech backpacks that carried the necessary circuitry.Read Full Story    
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