Sci/Tech
Walmart Just Filed a Patent for Autonomous Robot Bees
It’s like straight out of a Black Mirror episode.
According to reports, Walmart just recently, and quietly, filed a patent for robot bees that could be used to pollinate crops. This move suggests that the US retail giant might be getting into farming in the future.
The robot bees, technically called pollination drones, function by using sensors and cameras to find crops and then carry pollen from one plant to another. News about the patent was first discovered by CB Insights. They reported that the robot bee patent appears alongside five other patents for farming drones.
This move by Walmart signals a possible venture into agriculture in the not-so-distant future.
Experts speculate that the company might be looking into growing its own food to have greater control over its retail supply. This new technology can also help Walmart keep up with its rival Amazon.
Recently, the Walmart announced its plan to expand its grocery delivery service to more than 800 stores that can cater to approximately 40 percent of American households.
Walmart is not the first to create a robot bee.
Scientists have been researching ways to solve the rapid decline of honeybees, which are essential in pollinating about one-third of the food humans consume.
Harvard University researchers, for example, introduced the first RoboBees back in 2013. Back then, the robot bees could only function when connected to a power source. This technology has since become more advanced. Today, they can swim underwater and stick to surfaces.
Experts believe robot bees can be a game-changer in agriculture.
They can pollinate crops and help reverse the effects of significant honeybee losses in the past years. Walmart’s patent, in particular, reportedly states that the bees can be controlled remotely and have the ability to automatically detect pollen. This suggests that the robot bees can potentially work in farms one day, not just inside the lab.
Sci/Tech
Astronaut’s Gene Expression No Longer the Same as His Identical Twin, According to NASA
Earlier reports saying the astronaut’s DNA had changed is inaccurate.
Preliminary results from NASA's Twins Study revealed that 7% of astronaut Scott Kelly's genetic expression had not returned to baseline after his return to Earth two years ago. Experts at NASA are studying what happened to the astronaut before, during, and after he spent one year aboard the International Space Station. Scientists are conducting an extensive comparison of Kelly and his identical twin, Mark, who remained on Earth.
Kelly spent 340 days on the ISS from 2015 to 2016, along with Russian crewmate Mikhail Kornienko. Earlier reports said that Kelly's DNA had changed, which makes him no longer identical with his twin. But the reports were an inaccurate description of what really happened.
Kelly's DNA did not change; it is his gene expression that did.
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Sci/Tech
Manny Pacquiao Enters Cryptocurrency Market, Plans To Release Own Virtual Token
Pacquiao’s virtual token will be called PAC coin.
Boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao is venturing into the world of cryptocurrencies as he joins Singapore-based firm Global Crypto Offering Exchange (GCOX). The company has announced Pacquiao as their latest celebrity ambassador.
The startup claims to be the first of its kind since it lets celebrities create what's called "Celebrity Tokens," or the famous personalities' own cryptocurrencies. And the Philippine senator happens to have joined the hype. Pacquiao will soon release his own virtual token.
Pacquiao will soon launch the first celebrity token on GCOX, the PAC coin.
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Sci/Tech
Three-Fingered Mummies Found In Peru May Be Aliens, Scientist Claims
Are they aliens or not?
Extraterrestrial beings are the center of many conspiracy theories. Are they true or not? There have been sightings worldwide but no one can provide a solid proof of their existence. In Peru, however, the three-fingered mummified beings that were discovered last year, may not be humans at all.
A Russian expert claims that the mummies, which have elongated heads, are not humans. Dr. Konstantin Korotkov, a professor of Computer Science and Biophysics at Saint-Petersburg Federal University, believes that the creatures are actually extraterrestrial beings.
Meet Maria, one of the six mummies found in Peru.
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