Science on Screen Film: The Fly

Science on Screen @ Cinema Arts Centre, co-presented with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

The Fly

What happens when the line between human and creature begins to blur? In The Fly, scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) tests his groundbreaking teleportation device on himself, only to unwittingly merge with a fly during the experiment. As his body transforms into something unrecognizably insect-like, Brundle grapples with his rapidly changing identity, desperately trying to hold onto his humanity. His girlfriend (Geena Davis) is left horrified as the man she loved turns into a grotesque monster.

After the screening, participate in a live Q&A with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor, Dr. Benjamin Cowley. As a preface to the Q&A, Dr. Cowley will briefly explain his laboratory's groundbreaking work modeling the fruit fly's visual system and explain why studying visual systems different from our own can offer new insights into human vision. He’ll also discuss how modern artificial intelligence models are being used to decode the complex processes behind how the fruit fly perceives its world, shedding light on how such research can deepen our understanding of sensory adaptation, both in the brain and in the context of genetic transformation. The conversation will then open into a Q&A discussion with the audience!