via Moma.org: Bees have a sense of smell fine enough that they can detect some Cancers and states of fertility and ovulation. Does this sound as impossible to you as it does to me? Well as part of a modern art exhibition —you know what, I think it’s witchcraft. I’ll just copy the text from the website:

Precise Object, from the BEE’S project: New Organs of Perception. Prototype. 2007

Susana Soares (Portuguese, b. 1977)
Design Interactions Department (est. 1989), Royal College of Art (UK, est. 1837)

Soares has conceived a series of alternative diagnosis tools that use trained bees to perform health checkups, detect diseases, and monitor fertility cycles. “Bees have a phenomenal odor perception,” explains Soares. “They can be trained to target a specific odor.” The Face Object has two chambers. Bees that detect certain odors in the breath—some of them even connected to forms of cancer—will go into the smaller chamber if they sense them. The Fertility Cycle Object has three chambers: The largest corresponds to the ovulation period, the second to preovulation, and the third to postovulation. The bees will fly into the relevant chamber. The Precise Object has an outer curved tube that prevents bees from flying accidentally into the interior diagnosis chamber, making for a more precise result.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go to Walgreens and pick up a bee chamber.

Tags: Art, Bees, Health, Medicine, Suzanna Soares

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