Very few beings could survive in the apocalyptic holocaust following a nuclear attack. Dr. Manhattan, certainly. Maybe The Toxic Avenger. Possibly even his Toxic Crusaders. But the creature most likely to survive is the cockroach, perhaps the hardiest, and ugliest, creature on the planet.
Scientists at Texas A&M University’s Nuclear Security Science & Policy Institute have found a way to use the tenacity of cockroaches for the greater good. Their backs saddled with radiation sensors, the bugs can be used in dangerous environments to detect nuclear contaminants. These miniature, mobile Geiger counters could be sent into buildings where terrorists are suspected of assembling dirty bombs, and help prevent the very same nuclear attacks that we mere humans probably wouldn’t be able to survive.
While insect-like robots were originally going to be used in the project, they proved to consume too much energy, so the scientists chose to use the real deal instead. Cockroaches proved to be exceptional candidates, able to live up to three months without food and a month without water, unaffected by cold temperatures, and, most importantly, extremely resistant to radiation. The cockroaches are controlled by operators who use devices to prod their legs and antennas, causing them to move in specific directions.
Remote controlled, nuke-detecting cockroaches are a pretty amazing [Edit. Note: Or creepy] idea, but, as anyone who’s played the post-apocalyptic role playing game ‘Fallout 3′ can tell you, nothing good comes of the meeting between roach and radiation. Unless you consider gigantic man-eating “radroaches” a good thing. [From: National Defense Magazine, via: The Huffington Post]
