How flies compute with vectors

• Larry Abbott (Columbia University)

Room: Wilson Hall, 1 West (WH1W) To navigate through the world, insects perform many of the vector computations that are taught in introductory physics classes. They do this using methods that are rigorous but would not be recognized by students in these classes. Recent advances in the techniques used to study the brains of fruit flies have revealed what these methods are. I will describe how flies construct, add, rotate, multiply and integrate vectors, and how they use these calculations to navigator to goals such as the sources of odor plumes.