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LEGO Contraption Allows Scientists To Safely Handle Insects

Posted by samzenpus on from the build-and-study dept.

sciencehabit writes Researchers have built contraption from LEGOs that can move and rotate insects every which way while keeping them stable and positioned under a microscope. The design improves on previous insect manipulators because it's cheap, customizable, and easy to build. As natural history museums work on digitizing their voluminous collections—taking high-resolution photographs of each precious beetle, bee, and dragonfly in their possession—they have to handle insects repeatedly. Now the job will be easier on the entomologists, and more insect specimens will be able to hang on to their wings—all thanks to LEGOs.

18 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Subjects Are Stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'll be "that guy" and point out that LEGO is its own plural.

    1. Re:Subjects Are Stupid by by+(1706743) · · Score: 4, Informative

      I'll be "that other...other guy" and point out that LEGO is still all-caps.

    2. Re:Subjects Are Stupid by JanneM · · Score: 3, Informative

      LEGO is an abbreviation (though not an initialism) of Leg godt, danish for "play well" - or perhaps more like "have fun (playing)"

      So it appears that it is an acronym

      It's not, actually. It's a portmanteau.

      --
      Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
  2. Re:Cool, but... by CanadianRealist · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Technically, no they didn't need to use Lego to do this. But it was probably easier to build using Lego. And much easier for them to provide the plans for how to build it that anyone else can easily follow. (Which they do.)

    It would be neat if the Lego picked up the idea and put together a special set that other people could purchase to make it even easier.

  3. Sexist Prick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I dont know about you guys, but I think Emily is a babe. Totally my thing.

    Yes yes yes, I KNOW that in this day and age, saying how I find her attractive makes me a misogynistic asshole sexist prick who deserves to die in a fire, but fuck you, I stand by my personal opinion.

  4. They are called LEGO not LEGOs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Why are we adding an s?

  5. At first I read Lego contraception by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now how cool would that be?

    1. Re:At first I read Lego contraception by stoborrobots · · Score: 2

      LEGO is contraception in its own right - just play with LEGO and you can guarantee that you're never having any kids.

      --
      "Go to CNN [for a] spell-checked, fact-checked summary" -- CmdrTaco
    2. Re:At first I read Lego contraception by rossdee · · Score: 4, Funny

      Not needed, if you're playing with LEGO you're not going to get laid anyway.

  6. Plural of LEGO is NOT LEGOs! by ihtoit · · Score: 4, Insightful

    LEGO is a trademark, you do not pluralise trademarks. The correct plural form of LEGO is LEGO or LEGO bricks.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    1. Re:Plural of LEGO is NOT LEGOs! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I am not owned by corporate America. I can say bandaids, kleenexes, and legos if I want.

    2. Re:Plural of LEGO is NOT LEGOs! by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

      Sand and dust aren't trademarks, but you don't pluralise those either.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    3. Re:Plural of LEGO is NOT LEGOs! by ihtoit · · Score: 2

      neither is LEGO, it's a Danish company.

      --
      Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    4. Re:Plural of LEGO is NOT LEGOs! by dave420 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Irrelevant - the company themselves say the bricks are called "LEGO", and never "LEGOs". Writing LEGO as Lego is acceptable, however, according to many style guides, but never Legos. That's just sick.

  7. Re:Cool, but... by Kkloe · · Score: 2

    Or they can just go to lego's homepage and order the pieces they want. And for more orders they could porbably just mail it to lego and say we want 100 bags of this lego sets

  8. Re:Cool, but... by Neil+Boekend · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nah, for separate pieces you use BrickLink. Often far cheaper than the Lego website.

    --
    Well, I might have a way, but it only works on a semi spherical planet in a vacuum.
  9. Re:Cool, but... by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It would be neat if the Lego picked up the idea and put together a special set that other people could purchase to make it even easier.

    They seem to be relatively responsive to demand these days, you should send them a suggestion. They might well add it to their educational line.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  10. Re:Cool, but... by graphius · · Score: 2

    If it works, and it seems to work well enough, why spend the extra money and time?
    Use the saved resources for other projects...