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| Great monarch butterfly migration mystery solved | Great monarch butterfly migration mystery solved |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Scientists have built a model circuit that solves the mystery of one of nature's most famous journeys - the great migration of monarch butterflies from Canada to Mexico. | Scientists have built a model circuit that solves the mystery of one of nature's most famous journeys - the great migration of monarch butterflies from Canada to Mexico. |
| Monarchs are the only insects to migrate such a vast distance. | Monarchs are the only insects to migrate such a vast distance. |
| So, by teaming up with biologists, mathematicians set out to recreate the internal compass they use to navigate on that journey. | So, by teaming up with biologists, mathematicians set out to recreate the internal compass they use to navigate on that journey. |
| The findings are published in the journal Cell Reports. | The findings are published in the journal Cell Reports. |
| Lead researcher Prof Eli Shlizerman, from the University of Washington, explained that, as a mathematician, he wants to know how neurobiological systems are wired and what rules we can learn from them. | Lead researcher Prof Eli Shlizerman, from the University of Washington, explained that, as a mathematician, he wants to know how neurobiological systems are wired and what rules we can learn from them. |
| "Monarch butterflies [complete their journey] in such an optimal, predetermined way," he told BBC News. | "Monarch butterflies [complete their journey] in such an optimal, predetermined way," he told BBC News. |
| "They end up in a particular location in Central Mexico after two months of flight, saving energy and only using a few cues." | "They end up in a particular location in Central Mexico after two months of flight, saving energy and only using a few cues." |
| Prof Shlizerman worked with biologist colleagues, including Steven Reppert at the University of Massachusetts, to record directly from neurons in the butterflies' antennae and eyes. | Prof Shlizerman worked with biologist colleagues, including Steven Reppert at the University of Massachusetts, to record directly from neurons in the butterflies' antennae and eyes. |
| "We identified that the input cues depend entirely on the Sun," explained Prof Shlizerman. | "We identified that the input cues depend entirely on the Sun," explained Prof Shlizerman. |
| "One is the horizontal position of the Sun and the other is keeping the time of day. | "One is the horizontal position of the Sun and the other is keeping the time of day. |
| "This gives [the insects] an internal Sun compass for travelling southerly throughout the day." | "This gives [the insects] an internal Sun compass for travelling southerly throughout the day." |
| Having worked out the inputs for this internal compass, Prof Shlizerman then created a model system to simulate it. | Having worked out the inputs for this internal compass, Prof Shlizerman then created a model system to simulate it. |
| This consisted of two control mechanisms - one based on the timekeeping "clock" neurons in the butterflies' antennae and the other from what are called azimuth neurons in their eyes. These monitor the position of the Sun. | This consisted of two control mechanisms - one based on the timekeeping "clock" neurons in the butterflies' antennae and the other from what are called azimuth neurons in their eyes. These monitor the position of the Sun. |
| "The circuit gets those two signals then matches them, according to how it's wired, to control signals that tell the system if a correction is needed to stay on the correct course," explained Prof Shlizerman. | "The circuit gets those two signals then matches them, according to how it's wired, to control signals that tell the system if a correction is needed to stay on the correct course," explained Prof Shlizerman. |
| "For me this is very exciting - it shows how a behaviour is produced by the integration of signals," he added. | "For me this is very exciting - it shows how a behaviour is produced by the integration of signals," he added. |
| "We can take these concepts to produce robotic versions of these systems - something [that is] powered by and that navigates by the Sun." | "We can take these concepts to produce robotic versions of these systems - something [that is] powered by and that navigates by the Sun." |
| Prof Shlizerman said that one of his team's goals was to build a robotic monarch butterfly that could follow the insects and track their entire migration. | Prof Shlizerman said that one of his team's goals was to build a robotic monarch butterfly that could follow the insects and track their entire migration. |
| "It's a very interesting application that could follow the butterflies and even help maintain them. | "It's a very interesting application that could follow the butterflies and even help maintain them. |
| "Their numbers are decreasing, so we want to keep this insect - the only one that migrates these huge distances - with us for many years." | "Their numbers are decreasing, so we want to keep this insect - the only one that migrates these huge distances - with us for many years." |
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