Wednesday 22 June 2022 10:23 PM Locusts can SMELL cancer: Scientists find insect's brains can detect three ... trends now
View
comments
Locusts could be used to 'sniff out' cancer in humans, scientists have suggested after experimenting on the insect's brains.
Researchers at Michigan State University found the critters could tell the difference between cells that caused three mouth cancers and non-cancerous cells.
They said the technique could offer a 'very fast' alternative to standard screening to detect cancer, with methods currently relying on swabs and scans in a lab.
Previous studies have seen creatures from dogs to ants used to spot cancer in humans, but research has rarely been moved forward because scientists are struggling to find a commercial benefit for this type of work.
Locusts could be used to sniff out cancer in humans, scientists at Michigan University say (file)
Pictured above is one of the locust's in the study. Scientists exposed their brain and inserted electrodes. They then exposed the antennae (left and right going through the pink rings) to gases given off via cancerous cells
