Nerve Cells Live Double Lives
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 - 13:28
in Physics & Chemistry
Scientists have identified a new neural circuit in the retina responsible for the detection of approaching objects. Surprisingly, however, this is not the only function the circuit fulfills. The same nerve cells are also responsible for night vision. This is the first time such a dual function has been demonstrated, shedding new light on the nervous system’s information-processing capacity.