What began with a sliver of brain tissue no larger than a grain of sand has culminated in a scientific achievement once deemed impossible. A global team of researchers has unveiled the most intricate wiring diagram ever created of a mammalian brain.

Researchers have created the largest and most detailed wiring diagram of a mammalian brain to date, by mapping cells in a cubic millimetre of a mouse’s brain tissue. In a landmark achievement, the diagram also details the activity of individual neurons on a large scale―a neuroscience first.

Thanks to a mouse watching clips from “The Matrix,” scientists have created the largest functional map of a brain to date