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Somehow, not the future I saw coming.

Started by Mesozoic Mister Nigel, November 02, 2016, 03:50:55 AM

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Mesozoic Mister Nigel

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161101104731.htm

QuoteSpinach is no longer just a superfood: By embedding leaves with carbon nanotubes, MIT engineers have transformed spinach plants into sensors that can detect explosives and wirelessly relay that information to a handheld device similar to a smartphone.

This is one of the first demonstrations of engineering electronic systems into plants, an approach that the researchers call "plant nanobionics."

"The goal of plant nanobionics is to introduce nanoparticles into the plant to give it non-native functions," says Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and the leader of the research team.

In this case, the plants were designed to detect chemical compounds known as nitroaromatics, which are often used in landmines and other explosives. When one of these chemicals is present in the groundwater sampled naturally by the plant, carbon nanotubes embedded in the plant leaves emit a fluorescent signal that can be read with an infrared camera. The camera can be attached to a small computer similar to a smartphone, which then sends an email to the user.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Q. G. Pennyworth


Faust

That 's really awesome, I wonder what sensitivity it gives, and what other compounds they can be trained to for sensitivity, could potentially be used for all kinds of contaminations.
Sleepless nights at the chateau

Q. G. Pennyworth

I wonder if the spinach is edible? Article didn't mention one way or another.

Junkenstein

Quote from: Faust on November 02, 2016, 12:45:11 PM
That 's really awesome, I wonder what sensitivity it gives, and what other compounds they can be trained to for sensitivity, could potentially be used for all kinds of contaminations.

There's all kinds of tsa related jokes here.

Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: Faust on November 02, 2016, 12:45:11 PM
That 's really awesome, I wonder what sensitivity it gives, and what other compounds they can be trained to for sensitivity, could potentially be used for all kinds of contaminations.

Hypothetically, you could create strains that are sensitive to just about any molecule. This could get super interesting!
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: Q. G. Pennyworth on November 02, 2016, 01:25:14 PM
I wonder if the spinach is edible? Article didn't mention one way or another.

An edible garden of bomb-sniffing spinach would be interesting. Probably useless, but interesting.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Faust

In the grounds around manufacturing you could spot leaks in waste or as a cheap way of detecting contaminants in drinking water. Specifically I'm thinking of the fracking fears and the groundwater contamination.
If they can be trained with more sophisticated particles you could get a cheap Cryptosporidium detector, which has been elusive as fuck.

If it is fast acting, and good sensitivity it could potentially be an early warning system.

"Quick kids the spinach sentry is fluorescing, get to the car, don't worry about grandma, she's already dead."

The only thing  I would be worried about is introducing carbon nanotubes into the food cycle, slugs are bad enough without them excreting bullet proof armour.
Sleepless nights at the chateau

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: Faust on November 02, 2016, 03:45:05 PM
In the grounds around manufacturing you could spot leaks in waste or as a cheap way of detecting contaminants in drinking water. Specifically I'm thinking of the fracking fears and the groundwater contamination.
If they can be trained with more sophisticated particles you could get a cheap Cryptosporidium detector, which has been elusive as fuck.

If it is fast acting, and good sensitivity it could potentially be an early warning system.

"Quick kids the spinach sentry is fluorescing, get to the car, don't worry about grandma, she's already dead."

The only thing  I would be worried about is introducing carbon nanotubes into the food cycle, slugs are bad enough without them excreting bullet proof armour.

I don't know that the roots are deep enough for them to be especially useful for that. Contaminant flumes tend to go down into the soil, especially if it's sandy or gravelly, and then disperse downgrade, but below the topsoil.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Trees would be good, though. Something fast-growing, like alder.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Don Coyote


Ziegejunge

Robot Popeye (1961) Episode 203- Popeye Cartoon Episode Guide

Brutus purchases a robot which looks like Popeye, and uses it to sabotage Popeye's relationships and reputation. He tricks Olive into getting mad at Popeye so that he can get a date with her. Popeye catches on and proves to Olive that it was a robot.

source: https://www.bcdb.com/cartoon-story/52643-Robot-Popeye

axod

Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 02, 2016, 03:49:20 PM
Trees would be good, though. Something fast-growing, like alder.
This should spur research into developing wood-loving mushrooms with a soft-spot for nano-tubes <g>
just this

NeonWytch

Fuck man, that's amazing. Plant this stuff along streams with sensors meant to pick up pollutants, plant it near homes with sensors to detect lead, there are so many uses for this!
A wise man once said "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

trix

i want a small travel-sized herb that can detect farts and point its leaves at whodunnit.

No more blame game bullshit!
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