Thursday, May 12, 2011

Bee Venom Used to Create Ultra-Sensitive Explosives Sensor

By Amar Toor, Engadget, 5/10/11

We knew that well-trained bees were capable of sniffing out dynamite and other explosives, but researchers at MIT have now come up with a slightly less militant way to use our winged friends as bomb detectors.

A team of chemical engineers at the school recently developed a new, ultra-sensitive sensor that's sharp enough to detect even one molecule of TNT. Their special ingredient? Bee venom.

Turns out, a bee's poison contains protein fragments called bombolitins, that react to explosive compounds…

No comments: