# Fly species kept in dark conditions for 1400 generations in Japanese lab ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 19, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230 "2012-03-19T15:47:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/21 "2012-03-21T20:12:27Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Following up an experiment for 57 years is quite a feat. Only Japanese can. Cap in hand. And there are other experiments that have far more [generations](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._coli_long-term_evolution_experiment). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/22 "2012-03-21T21:10:26Z")
Yeah, I forgot about the compound eyes. How about glow-in-the-dark eyes? I’d take that as an acceptable substitute. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/23 "2012-03-22T11:02:10Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > How about laser beam eyes? That would be awesome! Just don’t give them tiny chainsaw legs …. RZZZZZ!! ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/24 "2012-03-22T13:26:56Z")
> [@RalfCoder](#): > > [There](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_drop_experiment) [are](http://www.cpa.msu.edu/beal/research/research_frames.htm) [longer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Clock) [ones](http://www.livescience.com/7102-world-longest-running-experiments.html) out there. Following that link, one of the experiments: > [@](#): > > A battery-powered bell at Oxford University that has rung continuously since 1840 How about that? Energizer Bunny eat your heart out! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/25 "2012-03-22T13:46:00Z")
David Ord-Hume talks about that at length in his book _Perpetual Motion_. The bell is more of a static electricity machine, and uses very little current. It’s been running off a home-built sulfur-encased battery from the start. There have apparently been cases where it stopped because of atmospheric conditions, but we won’t talk about that – it’s never been turned “off” since it started. Most impressive to me is that apparently a pile of metal has grown at the base of the striker. It’s a unique case of a gently struck bell starting to wear out before the battery itself does. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/26 "2012-03-23T04:57:43Z")
There is actually a minor controversy here regarding this experiment. It appears that researchers did not follow proper protocol and failed to obtain informed consent from the flies. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/27 "2012-03-23T11:50:42Z")
You’re saying they were kept in the dark? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/28 "2012-03-23T12:51:51Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > You’re saying they were kept in the dark? Smeghead, come to the front of the class and get your gold star. ---
**Author:** ![Phoebestar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Phoebestar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phoebestar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/29 "2012-03-23T20:08:24Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Do Dark Flies like an Arrow? No, but fruit flies like an apple! ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/30 "2012-03-23T20:25:19Z")
Those cave dwelling insects and crayfish-that have lost their eyes (due to evolutionary change): will they re-grow eyes if moved into the light? ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/31 "2012-03-23T22:42:42Z")
flies live in darkness can’t see the poo in this cave small cameras useless ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/32 "2012-03-24T03:52:02Z")
1400 generations, 57 years, that comes to what - less than 30 generations a year…sounds on the low side… ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/33 "2012-03-24T13:42:09Z")
Not really. That’s about 15 days per generation. They’re probably flipping the flies every two weeks. That’s standard. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/34 "2012-03-24T14:39:49Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > They’re probably flipping the flies every two weeks. That’s standard. Fly flipping…is that anything like dwarf tossing? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/35 "2012-03-24T17:59:55Z")
It’s not nearly as much fun. It just means taking the next generation of flies and putting them on fresh food. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/36 "2012-03-24T18:03:54Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Fly flipping…is that anything like dwarf tossing? I thought fly flipping was when you bought a el cheapo fixer up fly, threw some paint, new carpet, and sod on it and then sold it for a sweet profit. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/37 "2012-03-24T18:28:04Z")
When this experiment was first set up, I bet they planned to go 100 years, or maybe 60. But who picks 57 years as the end date??? Somebody got impatient, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/38 "2012-03-24T18:44:13Z")
Waiter! Bring some shit for my fly. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230/39 "2012-03-24T19:09:30Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > It’s not nearly as much fun. It just means taking the next generation of flies and putting them on fresh food. “Fresh” food for flies? Seems inappropriate somehow. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-species-kept-in-dark-conditions-for-1400-generations-in-japanese-lab/616230.md?page=1)