shark spies

bbc news

Pentagon scientists are planning to turn sharks into "stealth spies" capable of tracking vessels undetected, a British magazine has reported.
They want to remotely control the sharks by implanting electrodes in their brains, The New Scientist says.

It says the aim is "to exploit sharks' natural ability to glide through the water, sense delicate electrical gradients and follow chemical trails".

The unusual project was unveiled last week in Hawaii, it says.

'Steering' sharks

The research is being funded by the Pentagon's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), according to the magazine.


It aims to build on latest developments in brain implant technology which has already seen scientists controlling the movements of fish, rats and monkeys.

could be intresting
first dolpins and now sharks

Controlling animals by remote?That seems sort of unethical and cruel to me but I guess as long as it doesn't harm them.

I knowed them sharks was a spyin and I done told The Reverend BillyBob tha same thang. I was a suspectin it all along and I been watchin them sharks what has a been a spyin and I thimk threm Russuhens is a controlin tha wathur, uh waetuhr, uh waetheur, the clouds and thangs and stroms and all like that.
Next I'm a gonna call my not-so-smart cousin Dubya and sick him on them sharks. Dubya works in the govyrmant, uh govarment, uh govament, them folks in Washington Dee Sea.
slep

You posted:

"Controlling animals by remote?That seems sort of unethical and cruel to me but I guess as long as it doesn't harm them."

Brain not in gear much now days..too much public schooling on your end???

What do you think happens to a human being animal when you sit them in front of a television for 2 to 6 hours a day till they are 18 to 22 years olde??? Just plant the dummys in front of a television set and water them once in a while. Is this not unethical and cruel....to do their thinking for them so that they dont have a original thought in their bodys that is thiers?? Even thier base desires.
Real thinking is difficult..some of us avoid it for a lifetime.
Be very careful what you think is control.

Thanks,
Orangetom

Controlling animals by remote?That seems sort of unethical and cruel to me but I guess as long as it doesn't harm them.

Umm... the USN using sea creatures for security roles is noting new, Dolphins, Seals, Sharks are all just some of the species involved.

Frankly, I started laughing when I read the article. The first thought through my mind was of some terrorist falling overboard from a ship that is being 'tracked' because of him.

As far as not harming the sharks, one of thier biggest early concerns is the health of the sharks. It doesn't even require a humane or ethical veiw to understand why this is important. Catching a shark, fitting it with the implant, and turning it loose in the target area is going to cost money. Any harm done to the shark in the process, or in the process of steering it around the ocean, hurts that investment. You (well, whoever's controlling them), want that shark living a long, happy, healthy life after you implant it.

This reminds me of Dr. Evil.. I make one simple request and that is to have sharks with frickin laser beams on thier heads"

Dr Evil

Next you will see a giant Death star on the moon.

I wonder what will be next?

Originally posted by PowerToThePeople
I wonder what will be next?

Sea Bass.

They have already done this with rats and got it too work. Also with cockroaches as well.

I wouldnt be shocked if animal rights people start to protest this. If they do what I want to know is what about the millions of sharks every year that are killed for just their dorsel fin for the asian market to make soup. People just chop the fin off throw the rest of the shark away and leave it to die a slow death.

There is no huge public outcry for these sharks. But kill some dolphins and on no. I guess if sharks could be trained to do cute tricks more people would care.

The US isnt going to kill thier investments just like the didnt with their Dolphins. But I predict protest mainly just because it the big evil US military doing it.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
People just chop the fin off throw the rest of the shark away and leave it to die a slow death.
There is no huge public outcry for these sharks. But kill some dolphins and on no.

Yes there is! Maybe it doesn't get media coverage round your way?

Disney Drops Shark Fin Soup
dsc.discovery.com...

'Sharks' March in Singapore Against Soup Delicacy
www.planetark.org...

Shark protest bites in Capital
planktonforum.org...

etc etc

And animal rights protesters did succeed in getting the US military dolphin program curtailed too if you recall via a lawsuit. Not all their points were proved but they did force changes.

And animal rights protesters did succeed in getting the US military dolphin program curtailed too if you recall via a lawsuit. Not all their points were proved but they did force changes.

Like what for example? Dolphins are stilled used today to clear mines and other explosives. Funny, I bet some of those animal lovers want humans to do that job, no sense in risking a dolphin when you have a human ready.

"One of PAWS' greatest successes was in preventing the Navy from deploying Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in Puget Sound..."


In 1990, an agreement was reached between PAWS and the Navy prohibiting the deployment of dolphins for operational purposes in Western Washington in the absence of an Environmental Impact Study....In January, 1991, a Navy spokesman for the program confirmed to PAWS that "the permanent deployment of dolphins to the Naval Submarine Base at Bangor, Washington, has been canceled." According to Program Chief Les Bivens, the cancellation was due to changes in the world situation and defense spending reallocations.


See
www.paws.org..." target="_blank" class="postlink">link


[edit on 6-3-2006 by asala]

Do you really think the Navy has stopped using dolphins?

This shark spy seems far-fetched, if it really does work I think this is something that could really backfire. I do believe some species have a collective intelligence, all sharks included.

[edit on 5-3-2006 by jrod]

Originally posted by Wembley
'Sharks' March in Singapore Against Soup Delicacy
www.planetark.org...

The only protest in Asia were it even matter and they have. Demand in Asia were the vast vast majority of shark fin is consumed is a high as ever.

Lim Kian Onn, who led the team of about 20 students in the protest.

20 people you cant consider huge public outcry. Thats not even close to the outcry for the dolphins and nobody was targeting millions of dolphins

Originally posted by Wembley
'Sharks' March in Singapore Against Soup Delicacy
www.planetark.org...

The only protest in Asia were it even matter and they have. Demand in Asia were the vast vast majority of shark fin is consumed is a high as ever.

Lim Kian Onn, who led the team of about 20 students in the protest.

20 people you cant consider huge public outcry. Thats not even close to the outcry for the dolphins and nobody was targeting millions of dolphins

"Do you really think the Navy has stopped using dolphins? "

Of course not, but the Marine Mammal Program was scaled way back - ostensibly for operational reasons, but it looks a lot like public pressure.

As for the shark fin thing - those were just the first few hits off Google. My point was that there are and have been many protests, and when they can move an organisation like Disney, clearly there's some wright behind it.

They even had Peter Benchley on their side - maybe this new program is why he was bumped off?

www.paws.org..." target="_blank" class="postlink">link

[edit on 6-3-2006 by asala]

still, there tend to be a lot more people willing to protest to protect cute mammels than toothy killing machines. (yes, I know that's not an accurate description of sharks, but therein lies the problem)

Thats the point I was trying to make Travellar Im glad someone eles sees that too.

I would bet if sharks were all cute like baby seals we would see alot more protest.

Sharks get such bad press too. A few shark attacks on the news and they make it seem like they chopping us down by the hundreds. when the trurth is coconuts kill more people each year then sharks.

Nobody fears the coconut though