Fear in Sync: Collective Survival Through Neurogenomic Diversity

Collective animal behaviors help groups avoid predators and forage more effectively, but their genetic basis is poorly understood. In a recent study, researchers explored this phenomenon using fruit flies, revealing that genetic diversity within groups enhances survival through coordinated fear responses. By combining large-scale behavioral tests and a new approach to genome-wide analyses, the researchers uncovered key genes and neural mechanisms behind group dynamics, offering insights relevant to ecology, pest control, and human social behavior.