DIY Neuroscience
Greg Gage: How you can make a fruit fly eat veggies
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Can the mind be manipulated to love a food we loathe? The evidence from fruit flies is compelling, and perhaps surprising. Our tag team of neuroscientists attempts to change a fly's preference for fruit over vegetables simply by shining a light on their brain.
Greg Gage - Neuroscientist
TED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards. Full bio
TED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Greg Gage: It's an age-old
pursuit of all parents,
pursuit of all parents,
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Greg Gage: Es un empeño antiguo
de todos los padres:
de todos los padres:
00:14
getting their kids
to eat their vegetables.
to eat their vegetables.
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animar a los niños a comer verduras.
00:16
But getting them to eat
cookies or ice cream
cookies or ice cream
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Pero animarles a comer galletas o helado
es relativamente fácil,
es relativamente fácil,
00:18
is relatively easy,
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00:20
and that's because our brains
prefer sweetness.
prefer sweetness.
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porque el cerebro prefiere lo dulce.
Hay una nueva tecnología
llamada optogenética,
llamada optogenética,
00:22
Now, there's a new technology
called optogenetics
called optogenetics
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que puede engañar
a las papilas gustativas
a las papilas gustativas
00:24
which may be able to trick our taste buds,
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00:26
for instance preferring
vegetables over sweets.
vegetables over sweets.
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para que prefieran, por ejemplo,
las verduras a los dulces.
las verduras a los dulces.
00:29
We're going to try this today
using fruit flies.
using fruit flies.
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Vamos a comprobarlo hoy
con moscas de la fruta.
con moscas de la fruta.
00:32
[DIY Neuroscience]
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[Neurociencia casera]
Experimentamos con moscas de la fruta
00:35
The reason why we experiment
with fruit flies
with fruit flies
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porque tienen un sistema nervioso
suficientemente pequeño
suficientemente pequeño
00:37
is they have a small enough nervous system
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00:39
that gives us a fighting chance
to really understand what's going on.
to really understand what's going on.
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que nos da la posibilidad de entender
lo que está pasando.
lo que está pasando.
00:42
And believe it or not, their taste buds
are very similar to ours.
are very similar to ours.
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Lo creas o no, sus papilas gustativas
son muy similares a las nuestras.
son muy similares a las nuestras.
00:45
But before we try to manipulate
their taste preferences,
their taste preferences,
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Pero antes de manipular
sus preferencias de gusto,
sus preferencias de gusto,
debemos establecer cuál es
el estándar de la mosca de la fruta.
el estándar de la mosca de la fruta.
00:48
we need to establish:
What is the baseline of the fruit fly?
What is the baseline of the fruit fly?
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00:51
What does it prefer?
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¿Qué comida prefiere?
00:52
We call this a control experiment.
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Esto se llama un experimento controlado.
00:54
Spencer's been hard at work doing this.
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Spencer ha estado trabajando duro en esto.
00:56
OK, Spencer, let's do
our first experiment.
our first experiment.
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Bien, Spencer, hagamos
el primer experimento.
el primer experimento.
00:58
We want to test to see if fruit flies
prefer bananas or broccoli.
prefer bananas or broccoli.
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Para comprobar si las moscas de la fruta
prefieren las bananas o el brócoli,
prefieren las bananas o el brócoli,
01:01
So what do we need?
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¿qué necesitamos?
01:03
Spencer Brown: So we need the fly pad,
which is basically an iPad for flies.
which is basically an iPad for flies.
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Spencer Brown: Necesitamos el "moscaPad",
básicamente un iPad para moscas.
básicamente un iPad para moscas.
Mide el toque.
01:07
It measures the touch.
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GG: ¿Metes una mosca
en cada compartimento?
en cada compartimento?
01:08
GG: You put a fly in each chamber?
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01:10
SB: Yeah. Inside, we'll offer them
banana and broccoli
banana and broccoli
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SB: Sí. Y en cada uno
les ofreceremos banana y brócoli
les ofreceremos banana y brócoli
01:13
to see which one they prefer.
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para ver cuál prefieren.
GG: Para contar cuántas veces
la mosca de la fruta come la banana
la mosca de la fruta come la banana
01:14
GG: In order to count how many times
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01:16
the fruit fly eats a banana
versus the broccoli,
versus the broccoli,
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versus el brócoli,
01:18
these chambers have been outfitted
with a small electrode
with a small electrode
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hemos colocado un pequeño electrodo
en cada compartimento,
en cada compartimento,
01:21
that sends data to a computer.
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que transmite los datos a una computadora.
01:23
And so what were your findings
on banana versus broccoli?
on banana versus broccoli?
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¿Y qué descubriste comparando
la banana con el brócoli?
la banana con el brócoli?
01:26
SB: I found that the flies
visited banana the most.
visited banana the most.
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SB: Descubrí que las moscas
visitaron más la banana.
visitaron más la banana.
01:29
GG: Both were there, but like most kids,
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GG: Entonces aunque tenían
las dos opciones, como muchos niños,
las dos opciones, como muchos niños,
01:30
they choose not to eat the broccoli,
and they go switch to something sweeter.
and they go switch to something sweeter.
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optan por no comer el brócoli,
a favor de algo más dulce.
a favor de algo más dulce.
GG: Ahora, una breve lección
sobre cómo funciona el gusto.
sobre cómo funciona el gusto.
01:35
GG: Now a quick background
on how taste works.
on how taste works.
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01:37
Taste buds are made up
of specialized neurons
of specialized neurons
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Las papilas gustativas constan
de neuronas especializadas,
de neuronas especializadas,
01:39
called taste receptors.
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o receptores del gusto.
01:40
When we eat something
that triggers a particular taste,
that triggers a particular taste,
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Cuando comemos algo
que despierta cierto gusto,
que despierta cierto gusto,
01:43
those taste neurons will fire
a signal to the brain.
a signal to the brain.
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las neuronas mandan una señal al cerebro,
01:46
This allows our brain to know
what's sweet and what's bitter.
what's sweet and what's bitter.
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permitiéndole saber qué es dulce
y qué es amargo.
y qué es amargo.
Así que cuando una mosca come una banana,
01:49
So when a fruit fly eats a banana,
its sweet taste neurons will fire.
its sweet taste neurons will fire.
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se activan sus neuronas del sabor dulce.
01:52
But when it eats broccoli,
those same neurons stay pretty quiet.
those same neurons stay pretty quiet.
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Pero cuando come brócoli,
esas neuronas quedan inactivas.
esas neuronas quedan inactivas.
¿Qué pasaría si pudiéramos forzar la
activación de las neuronas del sabor dulce
activación de las neuronas del sabor dulce
01:55
But what if we could force
those sweet-tasting neurons to fire
those sweet-tasting neurons to fire
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01:58
every time the fruit fly eats broccoli?
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cada vez que la mosca come brócoli?
02:00
We may be able to get the fruit fly
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Quizás a la mosca le pueda gustar
el brócoli tanto como la banana.
el brócoli tanto como la banana.
02:02
to like broccoli as much as banana.
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02:04
Enter optogenetics.
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Entra la optogenética.
02:05
This is the revolutionary new tool
that's taking neuroscience by storm,
that's taking neuroscience by storm,
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Es la nueva herramienta revolucionaria
que está cautivando a la neurociencia.
que está cautivando a la neurociencia.
02:08
and in this case, "opto" means light
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En este caso, "opto" significa "luz",
02:11
and "genetic" refers to the fact
that these fruit flies have been modified
that these fruit flies have been modified
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y "genética" significa que
estas moscas se han modificado
estas moscas se han modificado
02:14
to contain a special gene that makes
only certain neurons respond to light.
only certain neurons respond to light.
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con un gen especial que hace que solo
ciertas neuronas respondan a la luz.
ciertas neuronas respondan a la luz.
02:18
In our case, we've added the special gene
to the sweet taste receptors.
to the sweet taste receptors.
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En nuestro caso, agregamos el gen especial
a los receptores del sabor dulce.
a los receptores del sabor dulce.
Ahora, lo divertido.
02:22
Now here's the fun part.
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La optogenética significa que podemos
controlar las neuronas especiales
controlar las neuronas especiales
02:23
Optogenetics means that we
can control these special neurons
can control these special neurons
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02:27
whenever they're exposed
to a bright-colored light,
to a bright-colored light,
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cuando estén expuestas
a una luz brillante,
a una luz brillante,
02:29
causing them to send
messages to the brain.
messages to the brain.
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haciendo que transmitan
mensajes al cerebro.
mensajes al cerebro.
02:31
In this experiment, we're going to have
these modified fruit flies
these modified fruit flies
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En este experimento,
estas moscas modificadas
tendrán que elegir otra vez
tendrán que elegir otra vez
02:35
choose between banana and broccoli again,
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entre la banana y el brócoli,
02:37
only this time, every time
the fruit fly eats the broccoli,
the fruit fly eats the broccoli,
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pero ahora, cada vez que
la mosca come brócoli,
la mosca come brócoli,
02:39
we're going to trigger
a big bright red light.
a big bright red light.
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se encenderá una luz roja
grande y brillante.
grande y brillante.
02:42
And when the channels see that red light,
they're going to open up,
they're going to open up,
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Cuando los canales vean esa luz roja,
se abrirán y activarán esa neurona,
se abrirán y activarán esa neurona,
02:45
and they're going to cause
that neuron to fire,
that neuron to fire,
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y la señal del sabor dulce
se transmitirá al cerebro.
se transmitirá al cerebro.
02:47
and the sweet taste message
will be sent to the brain.
will be sent to the brain.
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¿Cómo se sacan las moscas?
02:50
How do you get them out?
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SB: Usamos un aspirador bucal...
02:51
SB: So we're going to be using
a mouth aspirator,
a mouth aspirator,
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dos pajitas conectadas.
02:53
so it's just two straws put together.
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GG: ...un nombre sofisticado
para una pajita.
para una pajita.
02:55
GG: So it's a fancy name for a straw.
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SB: Básicamente.
02:57
SB: Basically.
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GG: Las vas a sorber por la pajita.
02:58
GG: So you're going to suck those out.
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SB: Sí.
03:01
Have you ever sucked up a fly before?
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GG: ¿Has sorbido una a la boca alguna vez?
03:03
SB: Once or twice.
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SB: Una o dos veces.
03:10
GG: There we go. You got all four.
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GG: Ya. Sacaste las cuatro. Perfecto.
03:12
OK, perfect.
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Enciendes los optoestimuladores,
03:13
So you're going to turn on
your OptoStimmers here.
your OptoStimmers here.
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y colocas la luz justo encima
de los compartimentos.
de los compartimentos.
03:15
You're going to park the light
right on top of the chambers.
right on top of the chambers.
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03:18
So now we sit here and we wait
for them to eat broccoli,
for them to eat broccoli,
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Ahora esperamos
hasta que coman el brócoli
hasta que coman el brócoli
03:21
and then when the light fires,
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y, cuando la luz se active,
03:23
they're going to think
it's tasting something sweet.
it's tasting something sweet.
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pensarán que ese sabor es dulce.
¡Ven! Se está acercando...
03:26
Come on. Oh, he's getting closer.
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03:28
Come on. It tastes good now.
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¡Vamos! ¡Sabe rico!
03:30
SB: It's about to.
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SB: Está por comerlo.
GG: ¡Ha vuelto! ¡Estupendo!
03:31
GG: Oh, he's back. All right!
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03:33
All right, so now we see
that some of these flies
that some of these flies
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Bien. Ahora vemos que algunas
de estas moscas están cambiando
de estas moscas están cambiando
03:36
are switching over from
the banana to the broccoli.
the banana to the broccoli.
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la banana por el brócoli.
03:39
SB: Exactly, yeah.
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SB: Exacto, sí.
GG: Entonces, cada vez
que se apaga esta luz,
que se apaga esta luz,
03:40
GG: Every time this light goes off,
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03:42
that means that they think
they're tasting something sweet.
they're tasting something sweet.
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significa que piensan
que saborean algo dulce.
que saborean algo dulce.
SB: Sí. A este le gusta bastante.
03:45
SB: Yeah. So this guy's
really going after it.
really going after it.
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GG: Vimos que pudimos rescatar el brócoli
03:47
GG: So we saw that we were able
to rescue broccoli
to rescue broccoli
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y hacerlo tan apetitoso como la banana
a nuestras moscas de la fruta.
a nuestras moscas de la fruta.
03:49
and make it just as appealing
as banana to our fruit flies.
as banana to our fruit flies.
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03:52
And we're able to replicate
these same results
these same results
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Y pudimos replicar estos mismos resultados
en todos nuestros experimentos.
03:54
in all of our experiments.
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La pregunta es: ¿Podemos hacer
lo mismo con los humanos?
lo mismo con los humanos?
03:56
So the question is: Can we
do the same thing in humans?
do the same thing in humans?
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03:58
Well, that depends on a number of items.
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Bueno, eso depende de unas cuantas cosas.
04:00
First, do optogenetic tools
even work in humans?
even work in humans?
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Primero, si las herramientas optogenéticas
funcionan en humanos.
funcionan en humanos.
04:04
And that looks like the answer is yes,
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Parece que la respuesta es sí,
04:06
and in fact, clinical trials
are already being planned
are already being planned
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y, de hecho, ya se están planeando
ensayos clínicos
ensayos clínicos
04:08
that will treat chronic pain
and blindness using optogenetics.
and blindness using optogenetics.
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que tratarán el dolor crónico
y la ceguera mediante optogenética.
y la ceguera mediante optogenética.
04:12
And the next question is,
can we easily trigger a light source
can we easily trigger a light source
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La próxima pregunta es:
¿podemos activar una luz fácilmente
¿podemos activar una luz fácilmente
para que se encienda
cada vez que comamos verduras?
cada vez que comamos verduras?
04:15
so that every time we eat
vegetables, it will go off?
vegetables, it will go off?
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04:17
For that, I'm afraid at least
at this time, the answer is still no.
at this time, the answer is still no.
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Para eso, temo que,
al menos por el momento,
al menos por el momento,
la respuesta todavía es no.
04:21
But today, we got to witness
just a taste of optogenetics
just a taste of optogenetics
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Pero hoy, pudimos saborear un poquito
de la optogenética
de la optogenética
04:24
and its amazing potential.
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y sus magníficas posibilidades.
04:26
(Music)
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(Música)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Greg Gage - NeuroscientistTED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards.
Why you should listen
As half of Backyard Brains, neuroscientist and engineer Greg Gage builds the SpikerBox -- a small rig that helps kids understand the electrical impulses that control the nervous system. He's passionate about helping students understand (viscerally) how our brains and our neurons work, because, as he said onstage at TED2012, we still know very little about how the brain works -- and we need to start inspiring kids early to want to know more.
Before becoming a neuroscientist, Gage worked as an electrical engineer making touchscreens. As he told the Huffington Post: "Scientific equipment in general is pretty expensive, but it's silly because before [getting my PhD in neuroscience] I was an electrical engineer, and you could see that you could make it yourself. So we started as a way to have fun, to show off to our colleagues, but we were also going into classrooms around that time and we thought, wouldn't it be cool if you could bring these gadgets with us so the stuff we were doing in advanced Ph.D. programs in neuroscience, you could also do in fifth grade?" His latest pieces of gear: the Roboroach, a cockroach fitted with an electric backpack that makes it turn on command, and BYB SmartScope, a smartphone-powered microscope.
Greg Gage | Speaker | TED.com