For the first time, scientists have imaged the brain activity of
a fish watching its prey. Observing neural signals in real time
offers an important glimpse into how brains perceive the outside
world. In the new study, researchers developed a way to follow
these signals in the brain of a zebrafish larva, using a
sensitive fluorescent marker. "It's a breakthrough," molecular
and cell biologist Florian Engert of Harvard University, who was
not involved in the study, told LiveScience. "No one else can
look at neuronal activity with fluorescence microscopy in a
freely swimming zebrafish larva" with such good resolution.
Zebrafish are widely used to study genetics and development in
vertebrates. Their larvae are ideal for neuroimaging because
they have translucent heads, and scientists can literally peer
into their brains. Space news from NBCNews.com Teen's space
mission fueled by social media Science editor Alan Boyle's blog:
"Astronaut Abby" is at the controls of a social-media machine
that is launching the 15-y