BERKELEY, Calif., Jan. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said they've turned to the animal world, particularly to turkeys, for inspiration for a smartphone system to detect toxins.
A new type of biosensor that changes color when exposed to chemical vapors mimics the skin on a turkey's head, which can turn from red to blue to white thanks to bundles of collagen that are interspersed with a dense array of blood vessels, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, reported Tuesday.