Behaviour and Bee Brains

The question of whether there are links between our genetic makeup and the way we behave has long puzzled humans. With the publication of the human genome we may finally be on the verge of answering this tantalising question. Some scientists hope ultimately to be able to predict behaviour by simply looking at our genetic makeup. Unfortunately, humans are probably too complex to begin answering this problem at the moment. However, undaunted by the enormity of the task, Charles Whitfield and his colleagues at the University of Illinois have set about tackling the problem, while setting their sights a little lower. They have turned their attention to a relatively simple creature, the honey bee (Apis mellifera), to start unravelling how (and if) our genes control what we do.