Company
Date Published
Author
Scott Chacon
Word count
273
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

A GitHub meetup in Boston led to a fascinating conversation between the host and Andrew Leifer, a Harvard biophysics graduate student, about Leifer's innovative research project, CoLBeRT, which uses laser technology for mind control on C. elegans worms. This system, which involves real-time video analysis and laser targeting of specific neurons, allows researchers to manipulate the worm's movements and behaviors such as paralysis, egg-laying, and speed modulation. Remarkably, the project, which has gained attention in prestigious publications like Nature Methods, Science News, and Scientific American, is open source and accessible on GitHub under the name MindControl, showcasing the potential for significant advances in neurobiology despite the vast complexity difference between human and worm brains.