Parasitic flies attack honeybees turning them into zombies

Zombie-Bee

“Zombie” fly parasite causing decline of honeybee population.

A pile of dead bees was supposed to become food for a newly captured praying mantis. Instead, the pile of bees ended up revealing a previously unrecognized suspect in colony collapse disorder a mysterious condition that for several years has been causing declines in U.S. honeybee populations, which are needed to pollinate many important crops. This new potential culprit is a bizarre and potentially devastating parasitic fly that has been taking over the bodies of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in Northern California.

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Would you like to choose your flight seat mate using Facebook?

This is what KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is doing: their incoming check-in system will allow passengers to choose seat mates based on their Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, so he or she would be someone who shares your interests.

That’s not a bad idea…

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Solar Impulse, the first solar-powered plane to fly both day and night

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Solar Impulse

Pictured above is proof that alternative energy sources are a viable way to replace the fossil fuels we have been dependent on for so long. Called the Solar Impulse it’s the creation of Bertrand Piccard, the grandson of Auguste Piccard who invented a pressurized gondola that allowed him to travel 50,000 feet into the air… in 1931.

You can see the pedigree that Bertrand comes from and understand his drive to push limits and explore things previously thought to be impossible. His goal for the Solar Impulse was to create the world’s first solar-powered plane that could travel both day and night, an interesting prospect since there are no solar rays to collect at night…

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Parasitic Fly Could Help Revolutionize Antenna Technology

antenna-bug

Ormia ochracea is a small parasitic fly best known for its strong sense of directional hearing.

It’s no surprise that many bugs have excellent hearing thanks to finely honed antenna. Checking out the giant antenna on the tiny bug above, it seems no surprise that they can hear surprisingly well. In fact, some insect antennae are so powerful, engineers haven’t yet been able to come close to mimicking nature. And that’s especially when it comes to small, directional antennae. It’s one thing to have whip-like “ears” like the bug above, but what stumps engineers is making very small, but very acute sound sensors. Yet a minute fly — with minute antenna — is about to change that, and help revolutionize how we built these structures.

 

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