locust can replace an oncologist for a person

We have domesticated so many representatives of the fauna, many of which have already outlived their original useful functions and live with us only as woolen companions.

But those who have not yet been domesticated, moreover, who are even considered “pests” – scientists from MIT consider locusts as “live” test systems for detecting oncology in humans.

In order to find out how sensitive “smell” is in insects, American scientists grew several types of cancer cells that form in the oral cavity and took the same number of healthy cells from the oral cavity.

In the course of research, it turned out that the locust brain reacts differently to cancer cells. True, scientists have had problems because devices that read brain activity can only 40 neurons. Because of this, several locusts are needed to detect cancer.

By the way, these insects, which acted as a “test system”, died after receiving the results. Although, as MIT scientists say, they are already dead in the process, as the electrodes are connected live to the locust brains.

“The insect is dead in terms of its body function, we just keep its brain alive,” the scientists say.