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Sponges and Synapses?

Jun 06, 2007

Scientists at UC Santa Barbara's Neuroscience Research Institute have found clues to the origins of the human nervous system in the genome of the sea sponge, one of the oldest animals. Thanks to the sponge's sequenced genome, Todd Oakley and his team found that although the creatures don't actually have nervous systems, there is much evidence for the genetic components of synapses.

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