Worms and light

I found this nifty little experiment a while ago, but it's been sticking in my mind so I wanted to write a little about it and bring the rather shocking results to everyone's attention.

Scientists have discovered a way to make a transparent worm called C. elegans move and feel however they want it to, by simply shining some lights at it. They were able to genetically modify a worm to have two light receptive proteins embedded in its neurons. Thus, by simply shining light on specific neurons, they could turn them off and on and cause the worm to react as it normally would were those neurons firing on their own. This includes making it move as if it's being touched in one spot, paralyzing it, or even making it LAY EGGS. In short, they can make it do whatever the hell they want it to do.

Now, it's a big step from 302 neurons to the 100 billion we have, and a big step from transparent to not for that matter, but the implications for being able to control neurons through light is more than just a little scary to me.

However, there is a humorous side to the story. The technique is called "control locomotion and behavior in real time" or CoLBeRT, after Stephen Colbert because he "manipulates the neurocircuits of millions of Americans daily using only the light from their monitors." Touché, Harvard.

Some videos here: http://www.kurzweilai.net/an-optogenetic-technique-for-neuroscience-that-uses-lasers-to-manipulate-neurocircuits-in-moving-animals