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back to article Boffins build cyborg snails to generate electricity

A team of scientists have successfully implanted a bioelectronic fuel cell into a living organism and used its blood sugar to charge a battery. The team from Potsdam, New York's Clarkson University (thankfully nothing to do with Top Gear) implanted a fuel cell that runs off glucose that is naturally produced by the snail, and …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    There is no snail.

    Errr yeah. I got nothin'.

    Frist?

    0 4
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Trollface

      Re: There is no snail.

      Something about using them to power an electric car and painting a big 'S' logo on the bonnet, roof and doors...

      No, you're right. Dead in the water.

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      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: There is no snail.

        Yay, look at that S car go!

        But seriously - you need 6 million snails to generate 1 watt of continuous output? What's the input power in terms of lettuces per hour?

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        1. Bill Neal
          Reply Icon
          Go

          Re: There is no snail.

          a lettuce lattice for your snail matrix? Surely they would be fed by some liquid/paste nutrient suppliment

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  2. annodomini2

    land mine substitute considered...

    The snails have been found to be breeding like wildfire surrounding nuclear fission power plants, the newly mutated strain can generate a highly effective taser effect.

    While they are doing a fantastic job of keeping the nut jobs trying to steal fissile material away from the installations, they are also eating them.

    The largest examples are currently 1m in length and unfortunately, posing a problem for the military as they appear to be able to generate a sufficient magnetic field and control it with such dexterity that they are able to deflect conventional military rifle ammunition.

    Tanks are currently being brought in to attempt to deal with the problem.

    6 0
    1. Marcelo Rodrigues
      Reply Icon
      Trollface

      Re: land mine substitute considered...

      Sharks! With lasers! And a cristal tank - so they can shoot the snails!

      Epic battle! YAY!

      2 0
    2. Charles 9
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Re: land mine substitute considered...

      Anyone considered just salting them? Or perhaps using a salt bullet? Last I checked, sodium chloride is nonferrous and can't be affected (at least readily) by magnetism.

      1 0
  3. Muckminded

    Eww

    Just tried powering my cell phone with one. Now I need a new phone and a new snail.

    10 0
    1. frank ly
      Reply Icon

      Re: Eww

      Are you sure that you were holding it properly?

      7 0
  4. Martin Budden Silver badge
    Go

    Fantastic!

    If they can get past the problem of doing this in animals which use hemoglobin, then humans can have our own fuel cells inserted. I like the idea of being my own phone charger, and there must be many other applications. We will become true cyborgs! As an added bonus, the more electricity we use, the more calories we'll burn, so we'll be wired and svelte.

    7 0
    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Fantastic!

      You are Kevin Warwick and ICMFP!

      8 0
    2. Graham Marsden
      Reply Icon

      Re: Fantastic!

      "the more electricity we use, the more calories we'll burn"

      Damn, I want to play Angry Birds, but my phone's out of charge, someone get me a burger now!

      1 0
  5. Affian

    Blood sugar

    Does this mean we could make a power plant out of hyperglycemic diabetics?

    3 0
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Blood sugar

      Or, could this be a new treatment for diabetes?

      1 0
      1. Dan 10
        Reply Icon

        Re: Blood sugar

        Unintended consequences?

        "My phone battery is low, I'll just attach it to my arm and eat a mars bar. Don't worry about the shakes, they'll subside."

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  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Thumb Up

    Well sugar is found in lots of plants as well.

    And should be extractable *without* conversion to Meth or Ethanol.

    May be the start of something big..

    0 0
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Well sugar is found in lots of plants as well.

      "Well sugar is found in lots of plants as well."

      Sugar Cane for example.

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  7. Richard Wharram

    Not there yet.

    Come back to me when Apple is powering a data-centre from 10 hectares of snails.

    1 0
    1. Graham Bartlett
      Reply Icon

      Re: Not there yet.

      Well they come with rounded corners already, so we're halfway there.

      1 0
    2. Bill Neal
      Reply Icon
      WTF?

      Re: Not there yet.

      Really? Apple makes data centers? You're kidding right?

      0 0
  8. TRT Silver badge

    Someone's...

    going well on Shell!

    3 0

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

  9. Spotfist
    Coat

    So in the future everyone carries a few snails in there pockets to charge mobiles etc... Does that mean we will also have to put up with those snail trails that look an awefully lot like gizz stains?

    I think I'll stick to charging at home... Boom, BOOM!

    0 0
    1. Elmer Phud
      Reply Icon

      for want of a snail . . .

      I'd suggest a single African snail for laptop power and maybe snail clusters for mobes.

      But, as with batteries, do these snails get hot with use ?

      Placed together in a pocket can they achieve critical mass?

      If they do then also include some herbs, butter and garlic - the little mobe prodder will double up as a fork.

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    2. TRT Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      The ones with the copper coloured top.

      Don't know about you lot, but for years I've used copper strips to keep snails and slugs off my vegetable patch.

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  10. jai

    soylent green....

    <Charlton Heston>Duracells are snails! damn you, you maniacs!!!!</Charlton Heston>

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    1. TRT Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: soylent green....

      Duracell are made from rabbits as ane fule no.

      4 0
  11. Matthew 3

    Snails: Sensible choice

    If you're going to do something that could conceivably piss off another creature, always pick one that you can outrun.

    2 0
    1. TRT Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Snails: Sensible choice

      My taste includes both snails and oysters.

      0 0
  12. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    I'm waiting for the animal rights campaigners to break in and open all the cages.

    Then again, maybe they have, and no-one noticed.

    2 0
    1. Bill Neal
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Up

      Re: I'm waiting for the animal rights campaigners to break in and open all the cages.

      I'm sure the police could walk and still get there in time.

      0 0
  13. SirDigalot
    Unhappy

    so when they apply this to humans

    The machines will take over and use us as a power source and only keeanu reeves can save us...

    were doomed...

    0 0
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