This ancient sea creature may already have had a brain

Advanced 3D reconstructions of the comb jelly’s aboral organ reveal a sensory system far more complex than scientists expected. The organ contains a wide variety of specialized cells and is closely linked to the animal’s nerve network, allowing it to coordinate behavior and orientation in the water. Researchers say it may function as a primitive brain-like center. The discovery suggests that centralized nervous systems might have evolved independently in different animal lineages. Ctenophores (commonly known as comb jellies) are delicate gelatinous marine animals that appeared in Earth's oceans roughly 550 million years ago. These organisms contain a specialized sensory structure called the aboral organ (AO), which enables the... [4180 chars]