I heard of a new industry during this morning’s news that I
think would suit Reading perfectly. The
town can supply cockroaches for earthquake rescue teams. Yes, that’s correct. They are now testing the feasibility of using
high tech-equipped roaches to search rubble in order to find people buried
beneath it. And, since Reading is brimming with roaches, it is the
ideal location to set up a facility to fill this demand.
There’s an electrical engineer the North Carolina State University who is
experimenting with this idea. He
attaches a mini backpack with fancy electrical gizmos that will direct the
roaches in their search. Basically he
uses antennae and butt stimulators to send them scurrying in the direction
desired.
Purportedly, the individuals buried will “shout for joy”
when they see one of these natural robotic critters crawling towards them which
will then, through the transmitters they carry, allow the first responders to locate
the victims.
Okay, in theory I admit this is interesting. Hopefully, it will save lives. However, I have some concerns. If I’m trapped and immobile, I seriously
doubt I’d notice the teeny, weeny electrodes and only see the huge bugs, coming
to be creepy-crawly on me while I can do nothing to prevent them. The end result is screaming so I suppose
that’s not a true problem.
Another is how invasive roaches are. If they intend to utilize the varieties
prevalent in Reading
and introduce them to areas without the same species, won’t that eventually do
damage to the environment? The average
lifespan of a cockroach is a year. Try
as they might, I suspect some will evade recapture once their mission is
complete.
The third concern involves airline regulations and various
import/customs laws around the world.
I’m not entirely positive but I’m sure some of them would frown upon the
importing of huge roaches, no matter how good the cause or controlled they are.
In case you’re wondering, there is no need to fret over the
amount of electric current used to zap the bugs into doing the rescuers’
bidding. Roaches have no concept of
pain. While they do have sensors that
direct their reflexes they do not have pain receptors. Or so the folks attempting this say.
So, if cockroaches are to be the new age equivalent of the
domesticated horses, oxen and other beasts of burden that were the boon to the
development of ancient civilizations, I am all for Reading getting in on the
bottom floor. What other way to boost
our city’s failed economy than by tapping into one of its natural resources?
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