Robotic Penguin Spies on Real Birds

Researchers have created a new tool for penguin research: a furry fake penguin perched atop a remote-controlled rover. The ersatz interloper is expected to do better than say, a fiberglass penguin, because it is just cute—and fuzzy—enough to blend in among crowds of adorable penguin chicks and their parents. Researchers hope the rover will allow them to really observe and interact with penguins without frightening them off... or worse, affecting the creatures’ behavior and tainting collected data. As reported in Nature Methods, Emperor penguins sing to the fake chick instead of running away. They were disappointed, alas, that the rover did not sing back.