Bird-brained China scientists learn to fly pigeons

Life Technology
1

Ya can’t make this stuff up and expect anyone to believe it…

[quote]
A pigeon with micro-electrodes planted in its brain is seen at Shandong Science and Technology University in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province February 27, 2007. Scientists in eastern China say they have succeeded in controlling the flight of pigeons with micro electrodes planted in their brains, state media reported on Tuesday. Picture taken February 27, 2007. REUTERS/China Daily

Bird-brained China scientists learn to fly pigeons
Tue Feb 27, 12:53 AM ET

BEIJING (Reuters) - Scientists in eastern China say they have succeeded in controlling the flight of pigeons with micro electrodes planted in their brains, state media reported on Tuesday.

Scientists at the Robot Engineering Technology Research Centre at Shandong University of Science and Technology said ther electrodes could command them to fly right or left or up or down, Xinhua news agency said.

“The implants stimulate different areas of the pigeon’s brain according to signals sent by the scientists via computer, and force the bird to comply with their commands,” Xinhua said.

“It’s the first such successful experiment on a pigeon in the world,” Xinhua quoted the centre’s chief scientist, Su Xuecheng, as saying.

Su and his colleagues, who Xinhua said had had similar success with mice in 2005, were improving the devices used in the experiment and hoped that the technology could be put into practical use in future.

The report did not specify what practical uses the scientists saw for the remote-controlled pigeons.
Yahoooooo![/quote]

Obviously…pigeon racing!

2

Fantastic! All the problems of China are solved! Thirty years of technology transfers from the West has finally paid off! Next step: People with implants in their brains. I saw it on the telly.

The Chinese invented pigeons you know. Back in the Boing Dynasty, Emporer Twang asked his best scientists to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (and so on for 5,000 years…)

3

Good grief Lord Lucan, you’re a brave man. Some of the technology may have come from the west, but it was adapted using pure Chinese know-how. It’s all China’s now.

I don’t suppose a pigeon can carry much of a bomb load though really, can it?

HG

4

[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]
I don’t suppose a pigeon can carry much of a bomb load though really, can it?

HG[/quote]

If they used the whole squadron…perhaps enough to “whitewash” the Statue of Liberty.

Although notice that the article didn’t mention anything about landing. Perhaps they need to fly them into windows, in which case it will be easy to pick out these spy pidgeons and deal with them.

5

[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]I don’t suppose a pigeon can carry much of a bomb load though really, can it?

HG[/quote]It could grasp it by the husk

6

Wasn’t there some attempt to develop incendiary bat bombs during WWII? My advice to you lot in Taiwan would be to steadfastly avoid any pidgeons with angry looking dicks sticking out of their heads and attached to some sort of chip.

Ah yes, zee incendiary bat bomb!

Be safe.

HG