Brain Exploration, Off the Beaten Path

Model organisms, such as rodents, monkeys, or Drosophila, have driven much of recent research in neuroscience. However, studies in other, more unusual systems have broadened the types of questions that are being asked and have revealed the diverse ways in which species tackle common problems. Cell editor Mirna Kvajo talked with Nachum Ulanovsky, Gilles Laurent, and Anthony Leonardo about their research and how studying bats, reptiles, and dragonflies informs big questions in neuroscience. An annotated excerpt of the conversation appears below, and the full conversation is available with the article online.