Listening to a locust brain

The Insect Vision Laboratory at Newcastle University is run by Claire Rind and Peter Simmons. In late October, 2011 Christmas Lecturer Prof. Bruce Hood paid them a visit to try out a dramatic demonstration: a tiny electrode inserted into the insect's thorax picks up the firing of a key neuron from the visual system. An amplifier then renders the signal audible. The result? You can literally 'listen in' to the locust's brain activity.