Harvard study reveals inner workings of fruit fly brain compass

A recent study at Harvard Medical School has revealed how the brain’s internal compass and steering regions in fruit flies collaborate to guide navigation and make real-time course corrections. The research provides valuable insights into how the internal compass directly drives behavior, shedding light on the complex process. By examining the brains of fruit flies deliberately thrown off course, researchers identified three distinct groups of neurons facilitating communication between the compass and steering regions, assisting the flies in correcting their course. The study’s implications extend beyond fruit flies and could serve as a foundational framework for future research on how brain signals translate into actions in more complex species, including humans.