"We report that this robot elicits aversive antipredatorial reactions"

August 19, 2013 2:24 PM

Fish Fear Robotic Predators, Unless They're Drunk. Scientists swear they had a really good reason for building a robotic fish, getting some other fish drunk, and then chasing them around with it. The robotic bird head, too. Direct link to research: A Robotics-Based Behavioral Paradigm to Measure Anxiety-Related Responses in Zebrafish.
posted by not_the_water (15 comments total)

Useful research often sounds pretty weird:

Q: OK, so I have these blood cells that are growing out of control, so you're going to give me other blood cells that also grow out of control?
A: Yes, but it's OK because we've treated this blood with HIV.
Q: Are you sure you're a doctor?
A: Almost certainly!
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:40 PM on August 19, 2013 [6 favorites]

Scientists swear they had a really good reason for building a robotic fish, getting some other fish drunk, and then chasing them around with it.

Who needs a reason?
posted by yoink at 2:54 PM on August 19, 2013 [9 favorites]

swim at me bro
posted by One Thousand and One at 3:40 PM on August 19, 2013 [6 favorites]

Scientists should consider that maybe the drunk fish are just totally onto their bull(hic)shit.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 4:26 PM on August 19, 2013 [3 favorites]

I like reading the headline so that it implies the existence of drunk robotic fish.
Because that's the stuff of hilarious cartoon nightmares right there.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 4:49 PM on August 19, 2013

If we can build drunken robotic fish, who needs real drunken fish? This is clearly trying a technological solution where none is needed.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:23 PM on August 19, 2013

Have you ever met a f@#king zebrafish? It's not like you have to try to get them drunk.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 8:40 PM on August 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Have you ever met a f@#king zebrafish? It's not like you have to try to get them drunk.

That's why the lionfish are always catching them hanging around the old watering hole.
posted by yoink at 9:15 PM on August 19, 2013

So this is how you get a National Science Foundation grant?

I have some interesting ideas for ETOH studies....
posted by CrowGoat at 9:35 PM on August 19, 2013

justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow: "Useful research often sounds pretty weird:

Does that have a basis in reality? cause that would be awesome.
posted by TheLittlePrince at 9:53 PM on August 19, 2013

Do drunk fish have a hangover and can they prevent it by drinking more liquids?

Inquiring minds want to know. How can I get a grant for this?
posted by TheLittlePrince at 9:54 PM on August 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

TLP: Yep, I remember it making the blog rounds a while back (eg previously). There's a footnote in the first panel of the comic to a NEJM article.
posted by hattifattener at 10:13 PM on August 19, 2013

Scientists who just like to fuck with mice were heard exclaiming, "Wait a second, we can get them drunk?!"
posted by DynamiteToast at 7:44 AM on August 20, 2013

I dated a girl who worked in lab that worked with monkeys. They routinely gave them cigarettes and alcohol... partially because it was for the studies, partially because they felt bad for them. If I remember correctly there was one that had a penchant for PBR and Marlboro Reds. The only conclusion that I could gather from that knowledge is that being a redneck more than likely has a genetic factor.
posted by Blue_Villain at 8:22 AM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Related: "A novel method to develop an animal model of depression using a small mobile robot", which can harass rodents with 3 'behaviour generation algorithms' (chasing, continuous attacking, and interactive attacking).

The robot's called WR-3, and was developed at Waseda University in Tokyo.
posted by James Scott-Brown at 3:06 PM on August 20, 2013