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IMAGE: (Left) Whole brain of a fruit fly. (Right) Nuclei of neurons in fruit fly brain tissue. view more
Credit: Joshua Raji and Christopher Potter, Johns Hopkins Medicine.
In research made possible when COVID-19 sidelined other research projects, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine meticulously counted brain cells in fruit flies and three species of mosquitos, revealing a number that would surprise many people outside the science world.
The insects tiny brains, on average, have about 200,000 neurons and other cells, they say. By comparison, a human brain has 86 billion neurons, and a rodent brain contains about 12 billion. The figure probably represents a floor for the number needed to perform the bugs complex behaviors.
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Northwestern Now
The common plant shows promise as a new natural insect repellent
New collaborative research from Northwestern University and Lund University may have people heading to their backyard instead of the store at the outset of this year’s mosquito season.
Often used as an additive for cat toys and treats due to its euphoric and hallucinogenic effects on cats, catnip has also long been known for its powerful repellent action on insects, mosquitoes in particular. Recent research shows catnip compounds to be at least as effective as synthetic insect repellents such as DEET.
But until now, the mechanism that triggered insects’ aversion to this common member of the mint family was unknown. In a paper published today in the journal Current Biology, a team of researchers from Northwestern and Lund universities report finding the underlying receptors that contribute to the mosquitoes’ aversive reaction.
Could catnip become the new DEET? eurekalert.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eurekalert.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
And then there were nine.
Five months after the Erie Downtown Development Corp. announced the first eight restaurant concepts accepted for the Flagship City Food Hall, the ninth and final vendor has been named.
Noodlelove, an Asian fusion concept, might not seem like an obvious choice for the 150-seat food hall that s under construction along State Street and North Park Row, at the site of the former Sherlock s and Park Place taverns.
Noodlelove opened two years ago on Mott Street in Manhattan and was followed last summer with a COVID-inspired outdoor-dining popup called Umma.
The restaurant has received favorable coverage in the New York Times. One of the dishes at Umma, Seoul Alle Vongole, was ranked by the Gothamist, an online publication of New York Public Radio, as one of the best new dishes of 2020.