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: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 11 2017, @06:44PM
You've gotten it out of the way in the most perfunctory manner, as though you were getting your virginity out of the way.