Robobees

Source: Business Insider and Harvard University

Honeybees, which pollinate nearly one third of the food we eat, have been dying at unprecedented rates…The crisis is generally attributed to a mixture of disease, parasites, and pesticides.  Last year, Harvard University researchers introduced RoboBees… bee-size robots with the ability to lift off the ground and hover midair when tethered to a power supply. Mechanical engineer Kevin Ma, tells…that the team is “on the eve of the next big development.” The project represents a breakthrough in the field of micro-aerial vehicles. The researchers believe that as soon as 10 years from now these RoboBees could artificially pollinate a field of crops. But RoboBees are not yet a viable technological solution. First, the tiny bots have to be able to fly on their own and “talk” to one another to carry out tasks like a real honeybee hive. Read more

From Business Insider 7 July, by Dina Spector. Edited and condensed by Marco Gervasi for AQOS.