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US Army To Train Rats To Save Soldiers' Lives
Hugh Pickens writes "The Department of Defense currently relies on dogs as the animal of choice for explosives detection but training dogs is expensive and takes a long time. Now the U.S. Army is sponsoring a project to develop and test a rugged, automated and low-cost system for training rats to detect improvised explosive devices and mines. 'The automated system we're developing is designed to inexpensively train rats to detect buried explosives to solve an immediate Army need for safer and lower-cost mine removal,' says senior research engineer William Gressick. Trained rats would also create new opportunities to detect anything from mines to humans buried in earthquake rubble because rats can search smaller spaces than a dog can, and are easier to transport. Rats have already been trained by the National Police in Colombia to detect seven different kinds of explosives including ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, gunpowder and TNT but the Rugged Automated Training System (Rats) research sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, plans to produce systems for worldwide use since mines are widespread throughout much of Africa, Asia, and Central America and demining operations are expected to continue for decades to restore mined land to civilian use. 'Beyond this application, the system will facilitate the use of rats in other search tasks such as homeland security and search-and-rescue operations" adds Gressick. "In the long-term, the system is likely to benefit both official and humanitarian organizations.'"
A rodent-vs-mine matchup has apparently been in the works for some time.
Want to just sit back and NOT respond to the loss of 2 large buildings and almost 3000 lives?
When the enemy is something as vague as terrorism, yes.
but saddam had NOTHING to do with that, and we murdered some half a million iraqi civillians just for fun.
also, the US worked hard to earn 9/11, look into the history of our 'involvement' in the middle east. particularly our constant propping up of brutal regimes and deposing of legitimate governments who won't kiss our ass.
Snowden and Manning are heroes.
I guess turning a whole country to chaos and with that causing endless misery for 100s of thousands (including lots of american families who have dead, scarred (body as well as psyche) loved ones who trusted in the politicians) was a *sarcasm* truly sane response. Especially as that country *had nothing to do* with the terrorist attack in the first place. Furthermore, the war in that other country did neither find nor exterminate the terrorists but caused more misery, death, and financial cost.
Oh, and the reasons for the invasion in the first countries were lies. Btw, terrorists are civilians with guns. Countries can start wars, civilians (you, me, Bin Laden) cannot. The US Goverment under George, Dick and Donald got trolled by some lame camel herders into doing something very, very stupid.
Wake up, man (or should I rather say "Wake up, troll"). You have been lied to!