Neurons fire electrical impulses, and synapses ensure their transmission. These principles, which operate in the human brain, can now also be used as building blocks in artificially produced circuits to create systems that are capable of learning. However, so-called „neuromorphic electronics“ also offer the potential to create an interface between the artificial and biological domains. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research have now come a step closer to this goal by creating artificial neurons that can operate directly and in real-time in a biological environment.