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TED Radio Hour
Small But Mighty
Nov 3, 2023
Microbiologist Anne Madden, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky, former educator YeYoon Kim, and former industrial engineer and Zen Buddhist monk Bart Weetjens discuss the surprising strength of all things minuscule and fleeting. Topics include the presence of microorganisms on our faces, the impact of COVID on our understanding of microbes, the influence of language on perception and cognition, the power of independence, and the use of rats to clear landmines and detect tuberculosis.
51:00
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Quick takeaways
- Training rats to detect landmines is a cost-effective and empowering solution for clearing minefields in vulnerable communities.
- Seeking help and being vulnerable can not only aid in personal recovery but also inspire others to seek support for their own challenges.
Deep dives
Training Rats to Detect Landmines
Industrial engineer Bart Witteens explains how he trained rats to detect landmines. Rats have a strong sense of smell and a remarkable ability to communicate about scents. They can be trained to associate a click sound with a food reward and then taught to find target scents in a controlled environment. Once they pass this training, they move on to finding real landmines in minefields. This low-cost and effective method has been successful in countries like Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, and Cambodia, reducing the cost per square meter and empowering vulnerable communities to tackle dangerous humanitarian detection tasks.
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