"Quantum Bees": Discovered to Solve Complex Problems Faster Than Supercomputers

It's amazing how a little bee's brain can do more powerful calculations than our best computers:

www.dailygalaxy.com... e

In a recent study, researchers reported that bumblebees were able to figure out the most efficient routes among several computer-controlled "flowers," quickly solving a complex problem that even stumps supercomputers. We already know bees are pretty good at facial recognition, and researchers have shown they can also be effective air-quality monitors."

"Bumblebees can solve the classic "traveling salesman" problem, which keeps supercomputers busy for days. They learn to fly the shortest possible route between flowers even if they find the flowers in a different order, according to a new British study

I think it might just also go to show that comparing how a "mind" operates to how today's computers operate, just doesn't cut it. It's apples and oranges.

Maybe, if we ever get a full-up quantum computer developed, the comparison will start to make more sense.

reply to post by EthanT


There's already a thread on this from 2010:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by EthanT


I'd use the proper external content tool or quoting tool if I were you mate. I think there is a rule about it. As for the story.. very interesting! It makes me wonder how self aware bees really are!

S+F

Hmmm, all that flower hunting success must be due to the way bees solve math problems.
Their brains operate on a different level solving problems that have X^Y possible solutions in X*Y time.
Seems to me there was a childrens puzzle released back in the early 60's prior to the declassification of quantum computers. (assuming the history of QC is completely declassified)