New neurological research, using, of course, the ever-popular giant axon of squid, shows that neurons are pretty darn clever at picking signal out of noise. And what's more, they're sensitive to context:

Neurons are often compared to transistors on a computer, which search for and respond to one specific pattern, but it turns out that neurons are more complex than that. They can search for more than one signal at the same time, and their choice of signal depends on what else is competing for their attention.

Take that, transistors! Neurons are way smarter than you.

Well, at least squid neurons are.

Of course, one reason that squid neurons have been the workhorse of neurobiology for so many years is that the things we learn from them really are applicable to human neurons.

But it always amuses to me to wonder if each new discovery might end up being a major difference between squids and humans . . .