Insects such as fruit flies, on the other hand, have a mere 100,000 neurons to work with. Yet their survival is dependent upon their ability to decipher the meaning of complex odor mixtures around them to locate food, seek potential mates and avoid predators. Scientists have pondered how insects are able to smell, or extract information from odors, with a much smaller olfactory sensory system compared with mammals.

— Read more in Detecting Odors on the Edge: Researchers Decipher How Insects Smell More with Less at UC San Diego.