No, not another story about the voting public

February 10, 2016 4:07 AM

Kept in the dark for 60 years, fruit flies begin to reveal their genetic adaptations. In 1954, seven years after their cousins returned from space, a colony of fruit flies was plunged into a darkness which would continue through 1500 generations right up till the present day. The results of this study shed considerable light on the role of genetic variation in physical adaptation. Spoiler:

They’ve found about 84 genes that, while they make no difference on the outside, distinguish dark flies from other flies. The researchers think that most of them are giving the dark flies enhanced chemical signaling and sensing capacities. In other words, they smell, in both senses of the word. They both emit more pheromones and sense pheromones more easily.

posted by fairmettle (12 comments total)

So to attract more of the electorate (kept in the dark for years) do the candidates need to roll out an aroma based browser?
posted by sammyo at 5:23 AM on February 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

So to attract more of the electorate (kept in the dark for years) do the candidates need to roll out an aroma based browser?

No, an aroma based fundraising scheme.
posted by NoMich at 5:41 AM on February 10, 2016

Not needed. They all stink just fine.
posted by Splunge at 5:47 AM on February 10, 2016 [3 favorites]

Clicked for mutant fruit flies with cave-spider eyes or, at the very least, laser beam wings. Was disappointed with smellier outcome.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:16 AM on February 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

Yeah, I was hoping for giant mole-flies. Science! You fail me again!
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:33 AM on February 10, 2016

Fuse says that the dark-fly project is important scientific heritage. But because his position at Kyoto University is not permanent, he is uncertain of the project’s future.

Well. That's sad.
posted by clawsoon at 8:03 AM on February 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

I wonder if the pheromonal development is only well suited to their environment, which I assume is a box far smaller than a room. Perhaps, if given a larger space, more like a cave, they might develop different adaptations altogether.
posted by constantinescharity at 8:21 AM on February 10, 2016

The idea of being in a dark room full of flies using sonar is creeping me out.
posted by Splunge at 9:12 AM on February 10, 2016

Giant mole-flies are problematic because, as you're probably aware, when you meddle with things that Science should've left alone, the innocent suffer.
posted by Zack_Replica at 9:22 AM on February 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

The more I think about it: Their eyes would atrophy. Their antenna might grow much large and become fringed like some moths. Their wings would be adapted to make variable sounds. Maybe get larger. They might even grow a second pair of signaling wings. Eventially they would become albinos as pigmentation is no longer a positive trait.

And now I'm really creeped out.
posted by Splunge at 1:11 PM on February 10, 2016

Whether this will creep you out more or less, I don't know: When they mate blind fish which are from the same species but different cave systems, they sometimes get fish which can see, since different mutations caused the loss-of-function in the isolated groups.
posted by clawsoon at 1:30 PM on February 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

Creeped out? Biology is awesome. You are made of meat, to the worms you will return, and it s amazing.
posted by eustatic at 6:36 AM on February 11, 2016