Venus flytrap cyborg snaps shut with commands from a smartphone

The "jaws" of a Venus flytrap attached to a robotic arm Venus flytraps can be tricked into snapping shut on command, researchers have shown, effectively turning them into biological robots that can be controlled wirelessly. The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant that catches its prey, such as flies, by snapping its circular leaves shut around it. The leaves' edges are studded with thin hairs that generate electrical impulses when an insect touches them – this burst of electricity causes the trap to close in as little as 0.1 seconds.