Honeybees can “smell” lung cancer

Cancer-related scents spark distinct brain activity patterns

A close-up honeybee lands on a flower

Honeybees’ olfactory systems are so sensitive that scientists may one day be able to use the insects to detect the odors of cancer.

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Float like a butterfly, sniff out cancer like a bee?

Honeybees can detect the subtle scents of lung cancer in the lab — and even the faint aroma of disease that can waft from a patient’s breath.