US: The honey bee is helping scientists discover how alcohol affects the brain. The study is part of long-term research into whether alcohol increases aggressive behaviour in humans.
Scientists at Ohio State University fed honey bees different amounts of alcohol and watched how long they spent walking, flying, grooming or just lying on their backs.
Julie Mustard, the entomologist leading the research, said that, at the molecular level, bees' brains worked in the same way as humans'. Those given the highest amounts of alcohol spent the most time lying on their backs.
"These bees had lost postural control," said Ms Mustard. "They couldn't co-ordinate their legs well enough to flip themselves back over again." Another researcher pointed out: "Honey bees are very social animals, which makes them a great model for studying the effects of alcohol in a social context."
