article_snippet: Will the same worm respond differently in a situation depending on what the same worm is thinking?
article_snippet: new research studying neurons within microscopic roundworms found that worms would choose to respond to a nearby odour depending on what new research studying neurons within microscopic roundworms were
article_snippet: ‘thinking’ about - suggesting new research studying neurons within microscopic roundworms have free will just like humans.
article_snippet: Worms spend Worms time wandering, looking for decomposing matter to eat - and when Worms smell it, Worms usually stop making random turns and travel straight toward the source.
article_snippet: This change in behaviour is initially triggered by a sensory neuron that perceives the smell and feeds that information to the network the researchers studied.
article_snippet: As the worms pick up the alluring fruity smell of isoamyl alcohol, the neurons in the network transition into a low activity state that allows the worms to approach the odour.
article_snippet: But sometimes the worms pick up the alluring fruity smell of isoamyl alcohol, the neurons in the network transition into a low activity state that allows them to approach the odour remain highly active, and the worm continues to wander around - even though the worm sensory neuron has detected the odour.
article_snippet: the odour found that, if offered a 'delicious' smell, the roundworm will usually stop the roundworm wandering to investigate the source - but sometimes the roundworm won’t.
article_snippet: We found that the collective state of the three neurons at the exact moment an odour arrives determines the likelihood that the worm will move toward the smell,’ said study author Dr Cori Bargmann .
article_snippet: So, in essence, what the worm is thinking about at the time determines how the worm responds.
article_snippet: ‘the worm goes to show that nervous systems aren’t passively waiting for signals from outside, nervous systems have nervous systems own internal patterns of activity that are as important as any external signal when it comes to generating a behaviour.
highlights_snippet: It suggests that  like humans, the worms may have a sense of 'free will' 