Leading article: Animal magic
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Step up, please, and marvel at the ingenuity of humanity in signing up other members of the animal kingdom to do the jobs that our frail forms are ill-suited to do.
As we report today, airport authorities are planning to introduce squadrons of sniffer bees to detect explosives. Fortunately, as the bees remain enclosed in a shoebox-sized container, there is little immediate risk to phobic passengers. But there is always a danger that Mother Nature will reassert herself.
When the US Navy trained dolphins to shoot terrorists (do not apply here for the details; the US authorities refused to disclose them), Mother N intervened in the form of Hurricane Katrina, which swept their cages out into the Gulf of Mexico. Several of them reportedly escaped into the open sea, with dart-guns possibly still strapped to them (but that is classified information).
We mention this only because the sniffer-bee flying squads are eventually released after a few weeks' service. What if the killer dolphins should ever join forces with the bomb-finder bees?
And you thought the idea that cats were plotting to take over the world was simply a fanciful Hollywood caper...
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments