Last updated Sep 10, 2026
Scientists from Google Research and HHMI Janelia released a full connectome of an adult male fruit fly’s central nervous system in early September, mapping over 166,000 neurons and tens of millions of connections using AI. Enthusiasts quickly loaded this wiring diagram into simulations, letting the fly avatar drive cars, survive in Doom, and slash blocks in rhythm games. Reactions mix awe and jokes about ‘torturing’ the fly, though experts clarify it’s just a static map like a 3D model, not true consciousness—one artist even built a peaceful ‘fruit fly heaven’ in response.
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