This robot was inspired by bees. And it can swim.

"What's better than a robot inspired by bees? A robot inspired by bees that can swim."

A bee bot prototype.

"What's better than a robot inspired by bees? A robot inspired by bees that can swim," said Katherine Ellen Foley at Quartz. Researchers guided by a team of scientists from Harvard University have developed a tiny, bee-size bot, weighing the same as "about two feathers," to study the ocean. The robot has "insect-inspired wings that can both flap and rotate," allowing it to dive into water, swim, take off again, and land safely. It also comes equipped with its own "little chemical lab" to help it break the water's surface tension after it has taken a plunge.

(Image credit: Yufeng Chen/Harvard SEAS)

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