C. elegans

Recent articles

Still from research video displaying wiring map of a fruit fly's brain.

Standout neuroscience news in 2023

Did you miss any of our favorite stories from the past year? Revisit them here.

By The Transmitter
27 December 2023 | 4 min read
Research image of neurons

Plugging invisible gaps in the synaptic connectome

Two new maps of the roundworm nervous system detail how neurons communicate with short proteins called neuropeptides outside synapses.

By Elissa Welle
6 December 2023 | 6 min read

Controlling neurons with ultrasound: Q&A with Sreekanth Chalasani

The new method, called sonogenetics, noninvasively manipulates neural circuits in mice.

By Niko McCarty
1 March 2022 | 8 min read
Photograph of a researcher holding a zebra finch.

Fish, frogs, flies and other fauna in scientific firsts

Over the past century, scientists have used a variety of animal models to advance their understanding of the developing brain and autism.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
8 September 2021 | 1 min read
A lighthearted, colorful, chaotic lab scene with fruit flies flying in formation, worms peeking out of piles of dirt and zebrafish spilling out of beakers.

What studying worms, flies and fish says about autism

Researchers are increasingly turning to simple animals to learn about autism biology and find leads for new drugs.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
8 September 2021 | 27 min listen

Stimulant restores cell signaling, eases behavior issues in animals missing autism gene

Worms and zebrafish missing both copies of the gene CHD7 have disrupted cellular signaling, a dearth of inhibitory neurons and behavior changes — all of which are reversed by the stimulant drug ephedrine.

By Peter Hess
28 May 2021 | 4 min read

Map of fly brain lights up millions of connections

A new wiring diagram of the fruit fly brain is the most complex ever created.

By Laura Dattaro
12 February 2020 | 2 min read

New maps of neuronal connections reveal roundworms’ wiring

Two new maps show the entire nervous system of the adult roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans.

By Polina Porotskaya
30 August 2019 | 2 min read

Roundworm roundup may reveal function of autism genes

Tracking how roundworms crawl has enabled scientists to determine that many autism genes are involved in sensory processing and learning.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
6 November 2018 | 4 min read

Wriggling worms yield clues to correcting autism mutations

Monitoring the movements of worms can point to potential treatments for autism.

By Maris Fessenden
2 June 2017 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Illustration of a shrew, sandpiper, locust, axolotl, monarch butterfly, African killifish, naked mole rat, octopus, bat and cichlid.

The non-model organism “renaissance” has arrived

Meet 10 neuroscientists bringing model diversity back with the funky animals they study.

Assembloids illuminate circuit-level changes linked to autism, neurodevelopment

These complex combinations of organoids afford a closer look at how gene alterations affect certain brain networks.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
19 December 2024 | 0 min watch
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Rajesh Rao reflects on predictive brains, neural interfaces and the future of human intelligence

Twenty-five years ago, Rajesh Rao proposed a seminal theory of how brains could implement predictive coding for perception. His modern version zeroes in on actions.

By Paul Middlebrooks
18 December 2024 | 97 min listen