Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Science
Related: About this forumBees Have Been Trained to Smell COVID-19 And Identify a Case Within Seconds
European honey bee (Apis mellifera). (USGS/Flickr)
KELLY MCLAUGHLIN & ARIA BENDIX, BUSINESS INSIDER
7 MAY 2021
Scientists in the Netherlands have trained bees to identify COVID-19 through their sense of smell, according to a press release from Wageningen University.
The research was conducted on more than 150 bees in Wageningen University's bio-veterinary research laboratory.
The scientists trained the bees by giving them a treat a sugar-water solution every time they were exposed to the scent of a mink infected with COVID-19. Each time the bees were exposed to a non-infected sample, they wouldn't get a reward (a process known as Pavlovian conditioning).
Eventually, the bees could identify an infected sample within a few seconds and would then stick out their tongues like clockwork to collect the sugar water.
More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/bees-can-smell-covid-19-and-they-can-identify-a-case-within-seconds
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
8 replies, 1433 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (25)
ReplyReply to this post
8 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Bees Have Been Trained to Smell COVID-19 And Identify a Case Within Seconds (Original Post)
Judi Lynn
May 2021
OP
What's more user friendly than an insect who pollinates our food and flowers and...
TreasonousBastard
May 2021
#6
oasis
(49,370 posts)1. Remarkable. K and R.
NH Ethylene
(30,807 posts)2. That's pretty amazing.
Now train an animal that is a little more user friendly.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)6. What's more user friendly than an insect who pollinates our food and flowers and...
gives us honey as a reward for its own work?
If only they would find uses for ticks and skeeters...
hlthe2b
(102,205 posts)3. I LOVE this story...
Tremendous!
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)4. They stick their little tongues out for a treat!
How cute!!! 🥰
DFW
(54,335 posts)5. Detecting an infected person with bees. Inspired!
This could turn into a classic sting operation....
NH Ethylene
(30,807 posts)8. Good one! n/t
bamagal62
(3,246 posts)7. Haha! A sting operation!
It is cool. But, what are they supposed to do with that? As someone who is allergic to bees, I cant imagine using bees to help detect covid. What a nightmare.