{
  "id": 5383076,
  "title": "Just like a fruit fly, a new algorithm never forgets old scents",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/just-like-a-fruit-fly-a-new-algorithm-never-forgets-old-scents",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-03T18:22:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ars Technica Science",
    "slug": "ars-technica-science",
    "url": "https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/09/just-like-a-fruit-fly-a-new-algorithm-never-forgets-old-scents/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fruit flies, while not known for their intellect, possess brains that are smaller than a poppy seed yet capable of processing a wide range of scents in mere fractions of a second. Remarkably, they can also retain these memories for extended periods. In comparison to modern electronic noses, Drosophila demonstrate superior performance. However, even the most sophisticated electronic noses on the market are often prohibitively expensive, limited in their detection capabilities, and prone to quickly forgetting scents once they learn new ones. This prompted researchers to ponder whether the fly's abilities could be replicated. This is the very question that Kevin Max and Yang Shen from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology have been grappling with. Through their recent work, they have developed an algorithm called Spi-Fly, which has recently been detailed in a paper published in the journal Neuromorphic Computing and Engineering.",
  "summary": "Insect-inspired \"sparse coding\" does fast learning, avoids catastrophic forgetting.",
  "key_points": [
    "Researchers developed algorithm called Spi-Fly",
    "Spi-Fly mimics fruit fly's scent memory",
    "Algorithm outperforms expensive electronic noses"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ars Technica",
        "title": "Just like a fruit fly, a new algorithm never forgets old scents",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/just-like-a-fruit-fly-a-new-algorithm-never-forgets-old-scents-5401565",
        "published": "2026-09-03T18:22:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}