Genetic engineering lets fruit flies 'smell' light
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted June 2nd 2010 9:32AM
posted June 2nd 2010 9:32AM
Scientists in Germany have genetically engineered fruit fly larva to 'smell' blue light -- and apparently it smells like bananas! According to a paper published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, researchers at Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum were able to splice a gene for a light-activated protein into cells in the olfactory system. Depending on which cell was spliced, the larva perceived the blue light as smelling like anything from bananas to marzipan or even glue. The scientists used thin electrodes to detect the light-activated neurons, and it is hoped that research in this area will lead to similar procedures that don't harm living animals. Now that they've perfected modding Drosophila larvae, the scientists say they'd like to move on to adult fruit flies. Which is cool with us -- just as long as they don't repeat Seth Brundle's mistakes.
One small step for man. One giant step for mankind.
@R Skicking
*ahem* giant leap *ahem*
@TheLeprachaun +1
@R Skicking
...One small step for *a* man.
@R Skicking
One *smell* step for fly, .... :)
Humans can already do this by the way. Just take acid.
@TheLeprachaun LMAO Funniest comment I've seen today.
@TheLeprachaun The smell of light depends on the time of day. I like it more in the middle on the day.
What is the purpose of this? How could smelling light be useful for us? If sunlight smelled like poo, we'd all be condemned.
@guitarkid
I didn't read the paper, but I would think it's not about making light smell like something but just one of many studies of the olfactory system. It's easier to irradiate light than to produce smells when you want to activate the system.
And, BTW, it does not seems to be any major breakthrough...
@guitarkid
I guess if they can understand this sort of stuff it may one day be useful to sensory impaired people.
@guitarkid
imagine smelling a perfume by looking at a print in a magazine..
imagine skype including smell
imagine tv with smell
this is a step into VR-5
@samisax Hmm, I guess you're right.
Haha, I can already see people in chatroulette/Skype farting into their webcams... Eww.
Has anybody else worked out what engadget Alt is for?
@MayankS Its is for the out of the mainstream but still geeky stories like this one.. :)
@MayankS It's for miscellaneous news, not necessarily related to technology.
@MayankS Thanks Guys .. that makes sense now =]
Hmmm I wonder what the color brown smells like.
@CoolAssNerd90 Chocolate?
I'm afraid of fruit flies but I do happen to love blue light. Ok. Bye, bye now.
@guitarkid
imagine smelling a perfume by looking at a print in a magazine..
imagine skype including smell
imagine tv with smell
this is a step into VR-5
You missed the pun:
Time flies like an arrow - fruit flies like banana!
Can't wait to be able to see smells always wondered what a fart looks like oh wait maybe I got this mixed up
funny, i've got a biology exam pretty soon and the synoptic article is about flies being genetically modified so that we can study them and maybe find the solution to diseases like parkinson's, depression, etc
Germany obviously has some good LSD.
The first Smell-o-Vision gaming consoles are right around the corner. Sign your kids up now for the required "vaccines" or they might miss out.
Cool. I've always wondered what the color blue smells like....
I can already smell brown. It smells like crap though.
...just make everything smell like hemp.
Brilliant!!! I (dare I say "We") want more news such as this!!!
when I think genetically altered food I think of This youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/user/HDv1de0#p/u/10/7RRHl6YmrFE
@The FinalCut food and bugs