Many worm species have the remarkable ability to regenerate organs and other body parts -- even their brains. In 2013, while conducting research to find out more about how animals store and process information, biologists at Tufts University used planarian flatworms to study where memories are stored. After using light to teach the worms where they could find food, the scientists cut off creatures' heads. As expected, the worms completely regrew their heads in just two weeks. Amazingly, the researchers found that those worms still remembered how to find the food. In fact, the worms with new heads had memories as accurate as the control group of worms, which hadn’t been beheaded.
Heads up:
dimchild
Post 2 |
Apparently they never did any research before publishing their research. Too bad for university researchers and the journal that published their paper. |
anon1001123
Post 1 |
Not sure why scientists would be so astonished that planaria whose brain and/or memory aren't entirely invested in the 'cranium'; octopuses have famously demonstrated that many of their cognitive functions are replicated throughout their bodies and tentacles. |