Earth Pigs: Natural Pollution Detectors? New Research Uses Their Behavior to Assess Soil Health

Earth pigs have been around for millions of years and have adapted to their environment by exhibiting gregarious behavior. However, when exposed to contaminated soil, they tend to fragment, indicating pollution levels. Researchers at the University of Milan-Bicocca are now using this behavior as a natural method to assess soil pollution.

The researchers have launched a crowdfunding campaign titled “Many Little Pigs!” with the goal of developing an instrumental prototype that combines the behavioral responses of piglets with artificial intelligence tools to distinguish healthy soil from contaminated soil. The project is part of the VI edition of BiUniCrowd, an initiative of the University of Milan-Bicocca. A2A has agreed to co-finance the campaign.

To fund the development of the prototype, 10,000 euros must be raised through a fundraising campaign on Ideaginger.it. Supporters can donate on the project page and may receive rewards like having their garden soil analyzed for health.

The device that will be used to monitor earth pigs’ behavior on contaminated soil includes an infrared micro-camera detector and a Plexiglas arena. By analyzing piglets’ behavior, researchers aim to develop a prototype that automatically provides quick and accurate environmental quality reports. This non-invasive method will revolutionize soil pollution assessment by using earth pigs’ behavior and advanced technology to identify contaminated soil accurately and efficiently.