Chinese firm reveals how AI is breeding cockroaches for medicine
A factory in China has mastered the art of mass-producing cockroaches, with fears this could lead to a new breed of 'super-cockroach'.
The facility rears six billion of the critters every year, using AI software to become ever more efficient.
The roaches are used in traditional Chinese medicine to create a 'healing potion' which is prescribed by doctors.
There are fears over what would happen if the colony escaped, however, with one expert warning it would be a 'catastrophe' for the 800,000 people living nearby.
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A factory in China has mastered the art of mass-producing cockroaches. One facility breeds 6 billion of the critters every year and is using AI to become even more efficient (stock)
A multi-story building larger than two sports fields churns out the cockroaches at an incredible rate, more than 22 million a day.
In a year, that works out to around 28,000 full-sized cockroaches per square foot, according to a government report.
Dr Zhang Wei, former assistant researcher at the College of Mechanical Engineering at Zhejiang University, who was involved in the development of the system, told the South China Morning Post: 'There is nothing like it in the world. It has used some unique solutions to address some unique issues.'
In a real-life nightmare for sufferers of katsaridaphobia - fear of cockroaches - this facility breeds the animals in vast quantities and in such idealistic conditions that there are concerns it could be accidentally creating a super-breed.
By accelerating the reproductive process through an intensive breeding programme, some people are concerned that 'mutant' roaches could infect and devastate local areas.
Professor Zhu Chaodong, the Institute of Zoology's lead scientist in insect evolution studies at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, said this is unlikely to happen.
However, he added it would be a 'catastrophe' if the plant was to malfunction and billions of cockroaches were released.
This could be a breach by activists or through natural phenomena and is something that must be addressed, he claimed.
A multi-story building larger than two sports fields located in the city of Xichang, in southwestern Sichuan province churns out cockroaches at an incredible rate, more than 22 million a day
Professor Zhu added: 'Multiple lines of defence must be in place and work properly to prevent the disaster of accidental release.'
'Every cockroach is a super-cockroach. Mother Nature has already done its job. There is little room left for us to make improvements.'
Cockroaches are notoriously durable and are believed to have existed since the age of dinosaurs.
With their hard-wearing ability and rapid rate of proliferation, the animals could feasibly destroy a town if the weather conditions were right.
Located in the city of Xichang, in southwestern Sichuan province, the building is under lock and key 24/7.
Access is highly restricted as the building relies on maintaining a very specific set of conditions.
The inhabitants live their entire lives in total darkness with free reign to move, eat and reproduce as they wish.
WHY ARE COCKROACHES SO HARD TO KILL? The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is an omnivorous scavenger and one of the largest insect species that lives in close proximity to humans. It has one of the largest genomes known to exist among insects, second only to the common locust. In total, the species has 20,000 genes - which is the same number as a human. Some genes control its internal detoxification system, which means the cockroach doesn't get ill if it eats toxic food. More genes help it combat infections, meaning it is resilient to living in filthy conditions. Cockroaches can also regrow limbs thank to its remarkable genetic sequence. Scientists have also found that female cockroaches are so resilient they don't need a male partner.
Conditions are tailored to best suit the reproduction of cockroaches and the facility has also made use of AI and 'smart manufacturing'.
The computer system constantly collects and analyses more than 80 measurements, including humidity, temperature, food supply and consumption.
Zhang confirmed the use of AI technology in the project but declined to give details.
There are few details about the inside of the mysterious building that is swarming with millions of the six-legged beasts.
According to a 2011 report by the government newspaper Guangming Daily, a visitor must change into a sanitised working suit to avoid bringing in pollutants or pathogens.
'There were very few human beings in the facility,' the article stated.
'Hold your breath and (you) only hear a rustling sound,' it continued.
'Whenever flashlights swept, the cockroaches fled. Wherever the beam landed, there was a sound like wind blowing through leaves.
'It was just like standing in the depths of a bamboo forest in late autumn. The cool breeze blows, and the leaves rustle.'
More than 4,000 Chinese hospitals get their supply of the healing potion from the cockroach metropolis in Xichang. A 100ml bottle of the interesting medicine will cost around 50 yuan ($8)
This enormous roach-producing factory is designed to mass produce the Chinese healing potion from crushed cockroaches.
After reaching maturity, the insects are fed to a machine that grinds up the animals to make the potion.
The key, and only, ingredient is believed by many natives to have healing powers for several ailments, including stomach pain.
The potion is marketed as tasting 'slightly sweet' and having 'a slightly fishy smell'.
More than 4,000 hospitals get their supply of the healing potion from the cockroach metropolis in Xichang.
A 100ml bottle of the unique medicine will cost around 50 yuan ($8).