Observed arrival · 2026-09-12
TADPOLE: a connectome goes doomscrolling
Credibility concern recorded. The source reference remains available for verification and correction.
An interactive simulation lets a reconstructed sea-squirt larva steer a browser using its modeled nervous system.
Field notes
The project translates a traced Ciona larva connectome into browser behavior: visual input comes from page screenshots, cursor motion follows left-right muscle asymmetry, and scrolling represents movement through the virtual tank. Its model includes 177 neurons, 6,618 synapses, and 1,206 gap junctions, with 169 of 231 cells positioned from measured electron-microscopy data. The interface includes 3D and 2D views, cell-level wiring inspection, spike visualization, and controls for stimulus, learning, and motor behavior.
Observed signals
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