Dutch scientists train bees to detect coronavirus infections – providing results immediately...

Dutch scientists train bees to detect coronavirus infections – providing results immediately, not over hours or days

Very interesting.

What do you think?

 

There is a lot we don't know about the animal world. With many of "our" inventions later discovered that animal have been using these inventions for millions of years especially in the insect world.

 

Sounds awesome. My son is a Type-1 diabetic and they have service dogs that can be trained to "smell" dangerous low blood sugars.

See no reason why this would not work.

What great, out of the box thinking by these scientist.

 

first killer bees
then murder hornets

Now bees infected with Covid

I'm going to find a nice cave in which to hide

 

doesn't sound fun for the bees

 

We need to bee prudent.

 

I agree with you. Part of me thinks it's great that we can use animals to carry out repetitive tasks but part of me thinks that this is horrible. I would much prefer that the animal and plant world is studied to replicate some of their abilities that they have been using for millions of years especially in the medical and navigation field, instead of us destroying their environment meaning it will be too late to discover their abilities

 

The problem with the human species is our intelligence. We have these ugly, outsized craniums full of brains that learn how to do things long before having the wisdom not to.

 

Covid testing could become a "bee in".

 

I'm literally living on a bee farm right now... They're fascinating creatures all round.

 

What did the patient say to the covid tester?

"Bee me up!"

 

that's funny

 

since the thread has become somewhat derailed, I'll add

 

And if only the mad scientists had been restrained from conducting their "gain of function" experiments years ago, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now....

 

Genetically modify bees to produce the vaccine as venom for their stings. Then set them free in the cities.

 

There's an idea.

 

And you thought I was scared of bees before ROFL.

 

I think it is irrelevant. Sniffer dogs can detect drugs on airport passengers but you don't put someone in prison without searching them and actually finding the drugs.

 

I'm not sure I understand your post. Are you saying that a person would still need to take a COVID test after being identified by one of the bees?

 

Next question: "For $200 ... at what age did Queen Beatrix lose her virginity?"

 

That seems to be the buzz about town!

 

Yes. That is to say that without confirming it with a COVID test they can't be administered medical treatment.

 

Fads come and fads go. When I was a kid we all wanted to win the "spelling bee". Now it's the "COVID 19 challenge".

 

My understanding of the article is that it's cheaper to use the bees for initial testing which could be very helpful in poorer countries with limited tests, but I see your point.

 

Bees cannot be relied upon for any definitive prognosis and the risk is that people who are infected (but the bee do not respond) will be side-lined. So the question is:
Do we assume that people are infected when the bees react, or .... do we assume that people are not infected when the bees do not react? The point here is that if you use bees everyone has to be COVID tested anyway. In essence, they have to be tested twice - once by bees and then by COVID test.