Shrimp desert

The locusts do not have much except for the Chinese who come to the gastronomic delight from her taste, yes in some countries in Africa, where it was called "shrimp of the desert" in some industrial value.

For all other locusts – natural disaster. So, after the first chronicle mention of the "Prodi’s Prodium on the Rusky Earth" (this insect in Russia was called BRUB or Pruss) in 1008 there were evidence of mass hunger. Not surprising: one piece of locust eats the same vegetation daily as weighs itself. But there are several billion individuals who are different, forming "volatile clouds", which can reach 1000 km² and more (imagine Singapore, for example).

Saranscha is so long known to mankind, which even got into the Bible, where its invasion is described as one of the "ten executions of Egyptian". Today, due to the massive use of insecticides, for the most part of the land, the "execution of Egypt" managed to cancel. Although the end of 2019 – the beginning of 2020 was ruled by terrible for Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and even Pakistan. In the latter announced an emergency situation, calling people to stock up food and water.

Another amazing feature of the locust – its ability to reincarnate. Insect has phases: herd and solitary, which is still called the mare. These two forms are so unlikely that some time scientists attributed them to different types.

Locust becomes active, evil and voracious. And still capable of long flights – hundreds of kilometers: parts of the brain are increasing, responsible for social interactions, as well as the hopper, and the paws, on the contrary, are shortened

Filmings lead a sedentary lifestyle and are usually painted in protective green colors, which makes them small enough among plants. But it is worth a single to see their relatives (experiments show that it is enough to surround the insect with mirrors for this), how metamorphoses are beginning to occur with a peaceful green creature that are described in the film "Gremlin". The herbivore bush-introvert suddenly wake up the tension of the murderer, and she launches the stage of "walking breeding", urgently putting off the offspring.

The last, smallest, begins to fiercely devour not only vegetation, but also their own relatives. The appearance of the locust is changing. It increases in size, coloring from protective turns into a warning, contrast. Insects are knocked in flocks – in this form they have nothing to hide or fear. Locust becomes active, evil and voracious. And still capable of long flights – hundreds of kilometers: parts of the brain are increasing, responsible for social interactions, as well as the hopper, and the paws, on the contrary, are shortened. This can be called a protective reaction: the more relatives, the less food, and therefore, you need to disintegrate the place under the sun.

Photo: Zhang Yu / Xinhua News / East News

Scary, yes? But biotechnologists have a completely different feeling to locust – admiration. This insect inspires them for inventions. So, in the winter of this year, scientists from the University of Washington reported on the creation of "live explosive analyzers" – sensors, with which you can search for explosives.

Sensors are attached on the back of an insect trained in the search for certain odors. Why exactly Saransch? In addition to the fact that it is well studied, it is well studied, there are special neurons in its nervous system that allow you to obtain the most sensitive signal. And the Saransch is well tolerates "surgical operations" and is able to carry loads.

Also, the locust can avoid collisions with other individuals in a flock, in time by changing the direction and evading the approaching neighbor. And since the single neuron is involved in this process (not as many other insects), the effectiveness of its maximum. Inspired by this example of nature, at the end of the summer of 2020, the engineers appeared to the world a nano-sized decector of the clashes of drones and unmanned cars, which, like a locust, allows the car in advance to see the obstacle and to avoid.