Bees Have Been Trained to Smell COVID-19 And Identify a Case Within Seconds

[Judi Lynn]

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

[oasis]

1. Remarkable. K and R.

[NH Ethylene]

2. That's pretty amazing.

Now train an animal that is a little more user friendly.

[TreasonousBastard]

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]

3. I LOVE this story...

Tremendous!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

4. They stick their little tongues out for a treat!

How cute!!! 🥰

[DFW]

5. Detecting an infected person with bees. Inspired!

This could turn into a classic sting operation....

[NH Ethylene]

8. Good one! n/t

[bamagal62]

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 can’t imagine using bees to help detect covid. What a nightmare.