Cockroaches are often associated with dirty kitchens and grimy bathrooms - scuttling away as soon as you enter the room and turn on the light. But pest controllers aren't the only people interested in them - these insects are inspiring research into antibiotics, robots and mechanical limbs, writes Mary Colwell in a recent BBC article.
Colwell traced humans’ historical relationship with cockroaches, noting that in an old Cuban tale, a beautiful young Cuban cockroach called Martina tests the character of her suitors by annoying them when they come to visit.
She also noted work being done with robotic roaches — a fusion of live cockroach and mini-computer, surgically attached to its back — and discussed how cockroaches might hold the key when it comes to developing drugs to knock out the most virulent bacteria that make humans ill, such as E. coli, MRSA and other superbugs resistant to many existing treatments.
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Source: BBC