Research on fruit flies and other 'model' organisms may be declining: Analysis of published papers on eight widely studied species suggests work on them is fading, but not everyone is worried.

The article examines a recent study analyzing publication trends involving eight widely used model organisms in biological research, such as the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans), house mouse (Mus musculus), and baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The study found a significant decline—up to 68% overall and over 90% for fruit fly and yeast papers—in the proportion of research relying on these species over a 30-year period, despite an increase in total scientific publications. While some scientists express concern that this trend could threaten future funding and research on model organisms, others argue the decline may reflect the maturation and success of these models, with research shifting to specialized journals or different scientific focuses. The house mouse remains relatively stable in publication share, likely due to its relevance in disease research. [Extracted from the article]