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Virtual Fruit Fly and Neuron-Powered Computer Redefine AI

3/17/2026

24 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Researchers at Eon Systems uploaded a fruit fly's brain into a virtual environment, enabling walking and feeding.
The simulated fly operates according to its biological wiring, marking a step in whole-brain emulation.
Cortical Labs has developed a biological computer using human neurons that can play Doom.
The developments highlight potential for biology to boost AI and robotics, while ethical concerns persist.

History

Historical Context

The Blue Brain Project, initiated in 2006 by Henry Markram at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, aimed to simulate mammalian brain circuitry. By 2013, it successfully modeled a rat's brain, contributing to the Human Brain Project, which received €1.3 billion in EU funding. Current research by Eon Systems and Cortical Labs continues this exploration, raising ethical questions about consciousness and artificial intelligence's future.

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Story summary

Researchers at Eon Systems uploaded a fruit fly's brain into a virtual environment, enabling walking and feeding.
The simulated fly operates according to its biological wiring, marking a step in whole-brain emulation.
Cortical Labs has developed a biological computer using human neurons that can play Doom.
The developments highlight potential for biology to boost AI and robotics, while ethical concerns persist.

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