No brain, no problem: Tiny jellyfish can learn from experience
The Hindu
Tiny caribbean box jellyfish are capable of learning from visual cues to avoid swimming into obstacles -- a cognitive ability never before seen in animals with such a primitive nervous system
Caribbean box jellyfish are barely a centimetre long and have no brain.
But these gelatinous, fingernail-sized creatures are capable of learning from visual cues to avoid swimming into obstacles -- a cognitive ability never before seen in animals with such a primitive nervous system, researchers said on Friday.
Their performance of what is called "associative learning" is comparable to far more advanced animals such as fruit flies or mice, which have the notable benefit of having a brain, the researchers said.
The Caribbean box jellyfish, or Tripedalia cystophora, is known to be able to navigate through murky water and a maze of submerged mangrove roots.
These scenarios throw up plenty of dangers that could damage the jellyfish's fragile gelatinous membrane which envelops its bell-shaped body.
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But they avoid harm thanks to four visual sensory centres called rhopalia, each of which has lens-shaped eyes and around a thousand neurons.
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The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.
The 16th edition of Bhoomi Habba was held on June 8, at the Visthar campus. The festival drew a vibrant crowd who came together to celebrate eco-consciousness through a variety of engaging activities, creative workshops, panel discussions, interactive exhibits and performances, all centered around this year’s theme: “Save Water, Save Lives.”