Access

Authors

Nature 453, x (26 June 2008) | doi:10.1038/7199xa; Published online 25 June 2008

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

Making the paper: Roland Strauss

Top

Flies can remember where they are going even when distracted en route.

The movements of flies buzzing around a picnic table may seem random, but in fact flies exhibit decision-making processes when choosing whether to circle overhead or land on the potato salad. Flies' ability to choose how to adroitly navigate their surroundings depends on their capacity for short-term, spatial memory.