Google Tests Fruit Fly Brain on Doom: 6,385 Attempts and Still No Victory

Google researchers mapped more than 166,000 neurons in an adult male fruit fly's brain as part of a major neuroscience project. They then connected this digital brain to the classic video game 'Doom' and ran it through 6,385 attempts.

The experiment was designed to study how neurons connect and interact within a simulated environment. By mapping the neural connections in the fruit fly's brain, researchers aimed to gain insights into the neural circuit that underlies behaviors.

However, despite numerous attempts, the digital brain has yet to win the game. The objective of winning is not the primary focus; rather, it serves as a proof of concept for the power of a detailed connectome in research.