Of Fruit Flies and Hangovers

Are you jealous of the people who can drink you under the table? Do you wish you had the stamina to show off in front of your friends? Is your mind willing, but the body is weak? New research from Henrike Scholz and Marjam Franz at the University of Würzburg confirms a simple fact of life -- that some people have all the luck in the world, and that the rest of us need to learn to live with disappointment.

The two scientists have been studying fruit flies in order to get a better understanding of alcohol addiction in humans. The result: not only people but also fruit flies can develop a tolerance to alcohol.

The German researchers found a gene in the insects that helps them tolerate increasing amounts of alcohol. Flies with the so-called "hangover gene" clearly react considerably less sensitively to heat and poison -- and to alcohol. Also, they adapt themselves easier to increasing amounts of alcohol than the flies without the mighty gene.

Since the gene functions the same way for insects as it does for humans, the researches are hoping that their findings will offer more insight into addictive behavior. They have already shown that flies have a particular fondness for overripe fruit, from which alcohol can be extracted. Some people have the same problem.

So, next time you leave a banana peel lying around the kitchen, think about what you're doing! Do you really want to be responsible for helping innocent creatures take to the bottle?