5 Ways Cyborg Insects Could Change The World + Illustrations
Apr 16, 2021 22:57:29 GMT
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Post by dividavi on Apr 16, 2021 22:57:29 GMT
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5 Ways Cyborg Insects Could Change The World
oddbibliophile
Sophie Bushwick
2/29/12 3:16PM
Illustration for article titled 5 Ways Cyborg Insects Could Change The World
Scientists have made amazing progress lately in turning insects into cyborgs. Almost every week, there's another news story about cyborg insect first responders, or cockroach fuel cells. Soon enough, when someone plants an eavesdropping device in your house, it'll literally be a "bug."
Why do insects make such great candidates to become cyborgs? And what are we learning from cyborg insects that could help design better aircraft, or unlock the secrets of the human brain? We talked to the experts, and found out. Here's our complete guide to cyborg insects.
So why do insects make such great candidates to become cyborgs in the first place? For one thing, they can move with a system of locomotion that's as sophisticated as that of most mammals. "The parallels in the control systems between arthropods and mammals is striking," says biologist Roy Ritzmann at Case Western University. Also, insects have open circulatory systems, and they recover quickly after surgery. But most of all, their locomotive and navigational abilities make them excellent cyborgs — and great templates for us to learn more about locomotion and flight in general.
People have the idea that insects are simple creatures, but Ritzmann says that's just not true. "It's not that insects are simple automatons that we can learn first and then apply to bigger animals." If anything, insects are just as complex and versatile as larger creatures.
5 Ways Cyborg Insects Could Change The World
oddbibliophile
Sophie Bushwick
2/29/12 3:16PM
Illustration for article titled 5 Ways Cyborg Insects Could Change The World
Scientists have made amazing progress lately in turning insects into cyborgs. Almost every week, there's another news story about cyborg insect first responders, or cockroach fuel cells. Soon enough, when someone plants an eavesdropping device in your house, it'll literally be a "bug."
Why do insects make such great candidates to become cyborgs? And what are we learning from cyborg insects that could help design better aircraft, or unlock the secrets of the human brain? We talked to the experts, and found out. Here's our complete guide to cyborg insects.
So why do insects make such great candidates to become cyborgs in the first place? For one thing, they can move with a system of locomotion that's as sophisticated as that of most mammals. "The parallels in the control systems between arthropods and mammals is striking," says biologist Roy Ritzmann at Case Western University. Also, insects have open circulatory systems, and they recover quickly after surgery. But most of all, their locomotive and navigational abilities make them excellent cyborgs — and great templates for us to learn more about locomotion and flight in general.
People have the idea that insects are simple creatures, but Ritzmann says that's just not true. "It's not that insects are simple automatons that we can learn first and then apply to bigger animals." If anything, insects are just as complex and versatile as larger creatures.
