Summary: for the first time ever, researchers were able to record whole-brain activity for all 302 neurons in a freely moving C. Elegans. Further, they found that the map of which neurons are physically connected to which neurons (i.e. the connectome) is way less significant than previously thought. Instead, extrasynaptic communication (i.e. neurons picking up neurotransmitters from neurons they don't share a synapse with) is suspected to be the name of the game. Also, the methods in the paper are applicable to whole brain imaging of other animals like fruit fly.<p>Personal opinion: theoretical neuroscientists are about to get a crapload of data to start building realistic, TESTABLE models of whole brain function in C. Elegans. We're about to see the stat mech of neuroscience people, this is HUGE.