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Ming
DOOM!
Gender: 
Joined: 13 Jan 2003 |
 Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:31 pm Post subject: New weapon against terror: BEES!!! |
No, I am not kidding. Apparently, this has been in development for 18 months. When I heard it, I laughed....hard. And those who know why know how funny this is.
New homeland security buzz: Bomb-sniffing bees
| Quote: | PHOENIX, Arizona (Reuters) -- Scientists at a U.S. weapons laboratory say they have trained bees to sniff out explosives in a project they say could have far-reaching applications for U.S. homeland security and the Iraq war.
Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico said they trained honeybees to stick out their proboscis -- the tube they use to feed on nectar -- when they smell explosives in anything from cars and roadside bombs to belts similar to those used by suicide bombers.
Researchers in the program, dubbed the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project, published their findings Monday.
By exposing the insects to the odor of explosives followed by a sugar water reward, researchers said they trained bees to recognize substances ranging from dynamite and C-4 plastic explosives to the Howitzer propellant grains used in improvised explosive devices in Iraq.
"When bees detect the presence of explosives, they simply stick their proboscis out," research scientist Tim Haarmann told Reuters in a telephone interview. "You don't have to be an expert in animal behavior to understand it as there is no ambiguity."
The findings followed 18 months of research at the U.S. Energy Department's Los Alamos facility, the nation's leading nuclear weapons laboratory.
"We are very excited at the success of our research as it could have far-reaching implications for both defense and homeland security," Haarmann said.
While scientists have trained wasps to respond to the trace of explosives, Haarmann said research with bees appeared to show more promise.
Haarmann said the bees could be carried in hand-held detectors the size of a shoe box, and could be used to sniff out explosives in airports, roadside security checks, or even placed in robot bomb disposal equipment.
He said the next step would be to manufacture the bee boxes and train security guards in their use.
"It would be great to start saving some lives with this," he said. |
So...we trained bees to stick their tongues out in the presence of explosives. The only thing that's funnier, to me, is the thought that at some point, 18 months ago, some guys were sitting around a table at that facility in New Mexico:
Guy 1: "So, what new and inventive ways can we come up with to fight terror?"
Guy 2: "I got it! BEES!!!!!"
Now all we have to do is find a way to use coffee to fight terrorism, and my life will be complete. |
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Reverend
I kin
Age: 41
Gender:
Joined: 21 Oct 2002 |
| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:49 pm Post subject: |
Just pray that the terrorists don't figure out that they can use coffee to keep us from attacking them...
Sorry, s'more AWA06 humor there.
But yes, I do like that we are looking for other ways other than the conventional when it comes to solving the problems of the 21st century, but also, I really have to question how much money this is costing. I can think of a few schools who could use that money rather effectively/ |
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Pot, Burden of Dilligence, One of the Pans of the aPOcalypse
PONY's Preacher Man
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Ming
DOOM!
Gender:
Joined: 13 Jan 2003 |
| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:30 pm Post subject: |
| Reverend wrote: | | I really have to question how much money this is costing. I can think of a few schools who could use that money rather effectively/ |
I can think of a few PEOPLE (read: ME) that could use that money... |
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Spinning around and being graceful looks cool, but then someone comes along and cuts something off, and the fight is over.
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reaper
I miss you Shar
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Joined: 28 Dec 2002 |
| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:01 pm Post subject: |
only one thing can be said about this.
LMFAO |
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GAAZ
MOD Black Sheep Commander
Gender:
Joined: 14 Oct 2002 |
| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:19 am Post subject: |
| Ming wrote: | | Reverend wrote: | | I really have to question how much money this is costing. I can think of a few schools who could use that money rather effectively/ |
I can think of a few PEOPLE (read: ME) that could use that money... |
Schools CAN'T use that money because as time has shown we keep giving public education money and it keeps turning out dumber and dumber children while Private schools actually make LESS money than public schools and the kids turn out smarter.
The bees are a good idea until one stings a person wearing a suit bomb...Cause it won't matter that he/she was wearing a bomb...They'll sue the TSA for millions and win. |
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Reverend
I kin
Age: 41
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Joined: 21 Oct 2002 |
| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 12:20 pm Post subject: |
Bare in mind I said a few schools, not all schools. I did not even specify public schools at that. GAAZ you should have been jumping for joy. *wink wink*
Mostly though, I just find it hilarious that somehow our collective jedi mind trick has reached the Pentagon. |
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Pot, Burden of Dilligence, One of the Pans of the aPOcalypse
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Graillik Tur
Renaissancetaku
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Joined: 09 Jul 2004 |
| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 12:28 pm Post subject: |
Well, the bomb sniffing was an accident. They were trying to train the bees to find something else...I forget what...when they figured out the bees have a higher sensory for smells than dogs. All they did was trick the little bee brains with rewards of sugar water everytime they got near the smell of different types of explosives. Just man using nature, all it is. And please don't laugh at terrorism. I've spent my last 6 months fighting it, and it no joke. America is under the gun and the radicals will not stop till either we our they are all dead. That is the truth. Sorry. |
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Reverend
I kin
Age: 41
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Joined: 21 Oct 2002 |
| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:11 pm Post subject: |
Sorry that you took that wrong Graillik. I am not laughing at our predicament, nor is Ming. We grew up just outside of NY, we know people who were lost in 9/11 or nearly lost, we get that dealing with fundamentalism looking to exploit the gap between the haves and have-nots is a problem that needs to be dealt with.
We're just laughing at Bees. Because AWA 06 has made Bees as funny as porkchops, cheesecake, and the Moon. |
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Pot, Burden of Dilligence, One of the Pans of the aPOcalypse
PONY's Preacher Man
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Silver Adept
Otaku Lord
Age: 42
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Joined: 20 May 2003 |
| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 3:50 pm Post subject: |
Beez, d00d! The latest terror-fighting weapon!
Actually, if they can make it work, go for it. Still, I agree that while bomb-sniffing bees are cool, we could probably spend the money better elsewhere. |
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Al the DLOE
Director of Unpleasent Facts Dept.
Age: 43
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Joined: 05 Dec 2006 |
| Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:40 am Post subject: |
i can one up you bees againgst terror with a relativly recent Defense Review story | Quote: | Israel Developing 'Bionic Hornet' to Target and Kill Enemy Combatants
Posted on Friday, November 17 @ 03:01:57 PST by davidc
Nanotechnology Goes Lethal
by David Crane
david at defensereview.com
Reuters is reporting that Israel is utilizing nanotechnology to develop a "bionic hornet" (i.e. flying micro robot) capable of targeting, chasing, photographing and killing enemy combatants/insurgents/terrorists. Basically Israel has decided to go with lethal nanotech based on their recent and rather unpleasant and costly experience in fighting Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. The Israelis have apparently come to the realization that it's not economically feasible to employ $50-100 million aircraft (all loaded up) to fight Hizbollah fighters armed with rocket ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles).
It would appear that the idea is to create a...
swarm of flying microbots (a.k.a. "bionic hornets") to navigate through city streets alleys and buildings to fly suicide missions into the bad guys and explode (just a guess), essentially making them like little micro kamikazes. Lethal nanotech, if you will. The Israelis believe they can have a functional prototype within three years.
Israel is also reportedly developing "super gloves" that would give the wearer "bionic man"-type strength and miniature sensors to detect homicide bombers (a.k.a. suicide bombers).
DefenseReview will report back as we learn more about the flying microbot tech and other Israeli military and security-related nanotech warfare and security projects.
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another advance in technology as we try to melt minds.... |
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