Photo Galleries

Bugging Out on Homeland Security

Wings, antennae and scales may be our best weapons yet against toxins and explosives

Posted 3.8.07 at 2:00 am 0 Comments

<
IMAGE 1 OF 4
>
Butterflies and Moths

Why We Need Them Robotics can´t yet mimic insects´ flying abilities, so scientists are developing controllable cyborg butterflies that could fly sample-collection missions through buildings.

How They Work A chip, implanted during the pupal stage, could control locomotion, monitor the air, and override instincts to feed, mate, and avoid certain environments.

Deployment Darpa has solicited public proposals but hasn´t announced a winner. Scientists are in the early stages of research; a final product is years away.

Drawbacks Implanting a chip in a developing insect could stunt its growth and damage its ability to fly as an adult.

Tags
butterflies, darpa, instincts, public proposals, pupal stage
<
IMAGE 1 OF 4
>
<
IMAGE 2 OF 4
>
Bluegill Fish

Why We Need Them Waterborne parasites sicken some 900,000 Americans every year, and public reservoirs are highly vulnerable to terrorist attack.

How They Work Slight impurities drive big changes in bluegills´ vitals. Sensors in the tank monitor the fish and sound an alarm when things get out of whack.

Deployment The fish stand guard at reservoirs in New York, California and Maryland, where they´ve detected pesticides and a diesel spill.

Drawbacks Bluegills respond indiscriminately to a broad range of contaminants, so technicians must follow up with other tests to pinpoint specific hazards

Tags
impurities, parasites, reservoirs, vitals, whack
<
IMAGE 2 OF 4
>

More Photo Galleries

SciTech
Gallery: Particle Accelerators
PopSci pays tribute to these grand cathedrals of science
24
1
SciTech
Gallery: Inside the Synchrotron
PopSci takes a field trip to the National Synchrotron Light Source
24
1
SciTech
Neutrino Detectors
These giant contraptions look for the most elusive particle in the universe
24
1
SciTech
Gallery: Paleontology’s Most Famous Missing Links
Now that “Ida” is a star, PopSci.com takes a close look at some other famous transition fossils
24
1
SciTech
Gallery: The Science of Justice
PopSci.com does a science and technology background check on Supreme Court Justice David Souter’s likely replacements
24
1
SciTech
Gallery: Pandemics That Were And Weren’t
After a week of swine flu hysteria, PopSci.com takes a look back at the history of pandemic flu
24
1

Popular Tags

SciTech on Popular Science

Regular Features

The Doctor Is In with Isadora Botwinick | Weird and wild stories of the human body, health and disease
Sex Files with Susannah F. Locke | A broad view of new research and ideas in the sexiest of the hard sciences
Science Confirms the Obvious with Laura Allen | The research that makes us say "duh"

All Tags All Photos All Videos

Popular Science Photo Pool

Share your photos in the Pop Sci pool at www.flickr.com!

Technorati Profile

Featured

SciTech

A Geek's Guide to Colleges
Where to go if you want to clone mules, hunt aliens, or just build a better videogame
Searching For Dark Matter In the World's Deepest Underground Lab
Will scientists find dark matter 4,850 feet below the surface of the earth? If not, maybe at 8,000 feet

Popular on Popsci

Most Viewed

SciTech

Most Commented

SciTech

Most Emailed

SciTech

Subscribe for 2 free issues!