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Scientists have created a tiny drone capable of pollinating plants:
The device is about the size of a hummingbird, and has four spinning blades to keep it soaring. With enough practice, the scientists were able to maneuver the remote-controlled bot so that only the bristles, and not the bulky body or blades, brushed gently against a flower's stamen to collect pollen [open, DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2017.01.008] [DX]—in this case, a wild lily (Lilium japonicum), they report today in Chem. To ensure the hairs collect pollen efficiently, the researchers covered them with ionic liquid gel (ILG), a sticky substance with a long-lasting "lift-and-stick-again" adhesive quality—perfect for taking pollen from one flower to the next.
The current version is not autonomous and must be piloted by a human.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Friday February 10 2017, @10:24PM
Yeah! Take that, bees. We don' need no steenkin' bees.
All hail Monsanto for getting rid of dose bees we don' steenkin' need no more.
Heil Monsanto, Heil Monsanto!
**Is this a just in case thing, or was it paid for BY Monsanto to say, "Hey, see? We don't need the bees.... you know, because SOMETHING is killing them... and we know it's none of OUR products, lol, but see? See? Evolution! Darwin probably predicted the bees downfall anyways!"
The current version is not autonomous and must be piloted by a human.
Cause, you know, they could have been piloted by, say, bees.... but yeah. Yeah....
[sarc mode in full]
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday February 10 2017, @10:29PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oroH9C_o6K4 [youtube.com]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]