bzzzzzzzzt: gotcha with that bionic hornet!

Seriously, folks. Reuters is reporting that Israel is using nanotechnology to fight terrorism—in an unusual way:

Israel is using nanotechnology to try to create a robot no bigger than a hornet that would be able to chase, photograph and kill its targets, an Israeli newspaper reported on Friday.

The flying robot, nicknamed the “bionic hornet”, would be able to navigate its way down narrow alleyways to target otherwise unreachable enemies such as rocket launchers, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth said.

It is one of several weapons being developed by scientists to combat militants, it said. Others include super gloves that would give the user the strength of a “bionic man” and miniature sensors to detect suicide bombers.

Israeli deputy prime minister Shimon Peres delivers his opinion matter-of-factly, as usual.

“The war in Lebanon proved that we need smaller weaponry. It’s illogical to send a plane worth $100 million against a suicidal terrorist. So we are building futuristic weapons,” Peres said.

Is it true or is it disinformation?
Never can tell!
That’s our new world, and welcome to it.

(via the indispensable Memeorandum)