Insidious Bat Research

September 26th, 2011

I was intrigued and delighted reading "Why You Should Love Bats" (March/April). Fascinating animals. But then I became as appalled as I had been delighted when I learned that the U.S. Air Force funded research on the bat wing to help design a second generation of drones. Describing this, the article didn't shift from its gosh-isn't-this-interesting-and-wonderful tone. But what is a drone? Those who live in areas subjected to them hate them. Drones kill. Their "collateral damage" is far from insignificant. And the next generation of drones? Will they be able to enter buildings? Homes? Imagine being subjected to this. Drones are a nightmarish, ugly development. How many of us want them to be a part of America's identity?

Does Brown these days have any limits on research? What will it not allow to be studied in its labs? Indeed, has there even been any discussion of this controversial research?

Mary Larson '64
Newark, N.J.
maryglarsen@gmail.com

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Related Issue
September/October 2011