NEW YORK: A recent study by a team of researchers revealed that fruit flies exhibit fear and could even feel other emotions.
Researchers associated with the study told that fruit flies appear to be frightened of shadows of objects above them such as fly swatters.
Study investigators told that fear consists of several parts. An initial stimulus, such as a scream, can bring a feeling of fear to the person hearing it. Investigators found that shadows can bring about this same state of mind as that seen in humans who hear a frightening sound.
William T. Gibson from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), said, “No one will argue with you if you claim that flies have four fundamental drives just as humans do: feeding, fighting, fleeing, and mating. Taking the question a step further is much more difficult”.
Researchers’ during the study recorded fruit flies on video as they were exposed to shadows. Further analysis of the data showed that insects increased their speed when avoiding the shadows, and hopping became more pronounced.
Researchers noted that flies took some time to ‘clam down’ and return to a food source after being scared away by a shadow from an overhead object.
Researchers hope their study of fruit flies can help biologists to learn more about the chemical processes underlying the emotion of fear.
