back to article Michigan Micro Mote works well escargot: Tiny computer makes it into the field strapped to backs of predatory snails

Scientists at the University of Michigan have celebrated an experiment where ultra-tiny computers were strapped to the backs of snails – solving a long-unanswered extinction mystery. Since the 1970s, the snail population of the South Pacific Society Islands has suffered a massive extinction event with over 50 species wiped out …

  1. Alligator
    Coat

    Slow news day?

    The post is required, and must contain letters.

  2. Danny 2

    The prophecy is true

    It took forty years, but we finally have snail mail.

    1. Roger Kynaston

      Re: The prophecy is true

      SSTP - Simple Snail Transfer Protocol

  3. Johnny Canuck

    Slow news day

    Heh, I see what you did there. Seriously, snails prey on other snails? That must be some gripping chase action.

    1. james 68

      Re: Slow news day

      Much like "too fast too furious" except the snails are better at conveying emotion, scriptwriting and acting in general.

    2. Chris G

      Re: Slow news day

      I can see a plot for an epic 4 hour horror movie, Alien Snails.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Slow news day

        I have found a couple of snails in my hallway at home. I have no idea how they manage to get in the house. The letterbox is a heavy spring loaded metal flap, there isn't a gap around the door they can squeeze through.

        The only think I can think off is that they rush through the door for a few seconds when I open it when leaving or entering the house......

  4. Roger Kynaston

    link to paper

    Could you link to the paper published by the researchers? I'm just being lazy in not searching for it.

    Cool bit of ecology research though.

    1. Paul Kinsler

      Re: link to paper

      https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-021-02124-y

      Millimeter-sized smart sensors reveal that a solar refuge protects tree snail Partula hyalina from extirpation

      Communications Biology volume 4, Article number: 744 (2021)

  5. Clarecats
    Boffin

    Link to paper

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-021-02124-y

    Communications Biology from nature.com

  6. Eclectic Man Silver badge

    Excellent research, and hopefully will help to preserve other endangered snail species. Although I must admit to worrying about the weight of the, admittedly tiny M3. Compared to a large voracious snail it is small, but a Monarch butterfly is going to have a hell of a time lugging one of those around the Gulf of Mexico.

    https://monarchjointventure.org/monarch-biology/monarch-migration

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