10-Year-Old Proves Butterfly Memories Survive Metamorphosis and Are Inherited

At just 10 years old, Jo Nagai from Kobe, Japan, has revealed that memories acquired during the caterpillar phase can endure metamorphosis and be passed down to future generations. His interest in Asian swallowtail butterflies led him to notice that butterflies he raised returned to him after being released, inspiring his theory. Over a two-year period, with the help of Dr. Martha Weiss, an entomologist at Georgetown University, he crafted an experiment. Nagai conditioned caterpillars to link the scent of lavender with a mild electrical pulse. Post-metamorphosis, the butterflies avoided lavender in a Y-maze, confirming memory retention. Additionally, untrained offspring also shunned lavender, suggesting transgenerational memory inheritance. In 2024, he presented his 33-page research at the International Congress of Entomology in Kobe, where he met Dr. Weiss. His work indicates that butterflies—and potentially other species—can inherit learned memories. Nagai, who dreams of becoming a veterinarian, corresponded with Weiss through a handwritten four-page letter. His research is also featured in a podcast called 'Caterpillar Roadshow,' produced by Weiss's daughter.