Bumblebee brain (Bombus sp.), micro-CT scan. This image was acquired using X-ray micro-Computed Tomography (also known as micro-CT). A micro-CT scanner projects a beam of X-rays through the sample onto a detector panel. Images are collected over a 36MB0?rotation and these are then reconstructed to form a virtual 3D model of the specimen. This virtual object that can be viewed from all angles and sliced open or digitally dissected. The bumblebee head was stained and scanned whole, the head was then digitally erased to leave the brain behind in an unaltered condition. The central portion of the brain is involved with higher functions such as learning, memory and orientation. The antennal lobes (middle, bottom) are involved in taste and smell and the large optic lobes (left and right) receive visual stimuli from the eyes. Image by Dan Sykes.