Scientists are on the verge of achieving what's eluded them for 25 years: creating a working computer simulation of the simplest brain we know — that of a tiny worm with just 300 neurons.
As reported by Michael Skuhersky in Asterisk Magazine, researchers have repeatedly tried and failed to simulate the brain of C. elegans, a microscopic nematode worm. But according to neuroscientist Michael Skuhersky, new technologies finally make this goal achievable.
First, new microscopy techniques use sheets of laser light rather than traditional point-by-point scanning, creating faster, clearer images of neural activity without damaging the tissue. Paired with new fluorescent proteins that light up when neurons fire, researchers can watch brain activity in real-time.
Second, modern machine learning tools can now process vast amounts of neural data. While C. elegans has only 300 neurons (tiny compared to today's large language models), understanding how these neurons interact requires complex mathematical modeling. Machine learning can derive key parameters like synaptic strength and capacitance for every neural connection.
While scientists have mapped neural connections in various organisms (including recently completing a map of the fruit fly's 140,000 neurons), they still don't fully understand how these connections actually work to create behavior. The worm's simple 300-neuron brain offers the perfect test case.
"More importantly, it would help us begin to decipher how the structure of a brain relates to the dynamic processes unfolding within it," writes Skuhersky. "Over time, this understanding will open the doors to simulating more complex organisms, ultimately including humans."
Previously:
• New tarantula-killing worm named after Jeff Daniels
• Parasite turns ants into juicy berries to entice hungry birds
• Worms high on weed get munchies too, report scientists
• How tardigrades survive extreme conditions
