Do you know which animals the United States wants to use as alarms?

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The efficiency of military intelligence could be improved with the help of several marine animals. Here we tell you which ones

Darpa, the Advanced Defense Projects Agency of the US Defense UU, wants to improve the intelligence of the North American country using different aquatic creatures, ranging from unicellular organisms to large fish. This was reported by the BBC, a portal that ensures that the animals that are expected to be used would act as spies to warn about the presence of foreign objects.

Leer en español: ¿Sabes cuáles son los animales que Estados Unidos quiere usar como alarmas?

One of the lines of research on which Darpa would focus would be the animals capable of giving light to the disturbance of their habitat. This phenomenon is known as bioluminescence and occurs when unicellular organisms, such as noctiluca, are disturbed. Lori Adornato, manager of PALS, project program persistent aquatic life sensors, explains that "if you have an organism like the noctiluca present on the surface of the ocean and an underwater vehicle that is close to the surface, you will be able to see it from the air due to the Bioluminescent trace."

But the project does not stop there. Darpa will also study the response of different organisms to natural disturbances and those caused directly by man. The vice president of advanced programs, Vern Boyle, raises the possibility that animals react specifically to objects made by humans.

Which animals will be studied?

The range given by Darpa is broad, ranging from single-celled organisms to large fish. According to the BBC, the research will include the study of animals such as Goliath grouper, also known as Giant groupers. They are fish that measure on average 1.75 cm and can weigh 300 kg. These big fish would be useful militarily speaking since they emit a powerful sound when a diver enters their habitat.

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The idea is that the Goliath mere emit this sound when foreign objects enter their space and in this way, the authorities would know of the presence of unidentified objects. To monitor these sounds, the team will use sound landscape elements.

Another animal that would join the North American ranks would be the snook. This fish, which is part of the world gastronomy, tends to submerge when it hears strange sounds. The question posed by scientists is whether this fish is capable of doing the same thing, but listening to a submarine. In fact, in statements collected by the BBC, it is claimed that there is no reason to doubt that an army of snooks is capable of warning about the presence of enemy submarines.

Not only fish will become a potential warning weapon. Smaller animals like shrimp that could become living radars. Snapping shrimp that inhabit shallow waters snap their claws continuously, creating a sound that bounces with the objects around them. That is, that sound would be a conventional radar with which the distance and shape of objects underwater would be determined.

Undetectable technology at low cost

Darpa's proposal is to use the behavior of these animals to strengthen the military system at a low cost and taking advantage of nature. We have done this before analyzing the compartment of other animals to understand what happens around us. In this opportunity, the animals would help in the maritime control of security.

LatinAmerican Post | Marcela Peñaloza

Translated from "¿Sabes cuáles son los animales que Estados Unidos quiere usar como alarmas?"