A leading brain research center is changing its main experimental model from fruit flies to a tiny, transparent fish, according to reports by NPR. The move is aimed at improving researchers’ ability to study how brains generate behavior. Fruit flies have long been used for genetic tools and circuit mapping, but the new approach focuses on observing a whole animal’s brain activity more directly. The center’s researchers are adopting a small transparent fish because its transparency allows scientists to monitor neural processes while the animal performs behaviors. By using the fish to view the brain “at work” rather than relying solely on indirect measures, the lab expects to better understand how specific brain circuits control behavior. The transition is described as a bet on advancing brain-science methods: shifting the emphasis from traditional models toward one that can offer clearer, live observation of neural activity across an entire organism. The overarching goal remains the same across both model systems—connecting brain function to observable behavior in ways that can inform understanding of both animal and human brains.