Human-Like Brain Found in Worm

[n2doc]

For the first time, a structure comparable to our cerebral cortex has been found in an invertebrate -- a humble marine ragworm.
By Jennifer Viegas

Brain structures directly related to the human brain have just been identified in a marine ragworm, according to a paper published in the latest issue of the journal Cell.

The discovery means that the origins of the human brain can now be traced back at least 600 million years, when we last shared a common ancestor with this species, Platynereis dumerilii, a relative of the common earthworm.

"This worm lives in self-made tubes, explores its environment actively for food, and shows signs of learning behavior," lead author Raju Tomer told Discovery News. "Therefore, we thought this ragworm would be the ideal candidate to look for the counterparts of vertebrate higher brain centers in invertebrates."

Tomer, a scientist at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), and his colleagues suspect that other invertebrates, such as insects, spiders, crustaceans and velvet worms likely also possess the brain structures, called "mushroom bodies," which correspond to our cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is a part of the human brain involved in memory, learning, thought, language, consciousness and more.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/worm-human-brain.html

Let the inspired commentary begin...

[Howler]

1. Don't you mean

Worm like brain found in human????

[Faygo Kid]

2. I believe it.

[mike r]

3. Duh. They Are What They Eat

Humans = Worm Food

[DBoon]

4. "Worm found in human brain"

I almost read it like that

[rocktivity]

5. My bad

I thought this about Bill O'Reilly.

:blush:
rocktivity

[HCE SuiGeneris]

6. Big worm, or tea-partier brain?

[jberryhill]

7. Someone leaked Cheney's medical records?

[musette_sf]

8. "Every larvae is sacred"

In other news:

Dumbfuckistan state legislatures immediately commence drafting "personhood" laws to protect innocent unborn baby neredidae.

[truedelphi]

9. Wish they wouldn't spend all this research money on just

One man - Glenn Beck.

And even decent scientists cannot convince me that his brain is somewhat human.

[gtar100]

10. Sentience appears to be a common urge in the evolution of life.

It provides greater ability to adapt and survive. But 500 million years from now, long after the last human, sentience will be a live and well on earth, possibly developing into consciousness in some other species. And they'll get along just fine... until they find our garbage.