To Catch a Bug-The Beatles greatest legacy Anna Yamaoka Collingwood School Floor Location: J11V

My Science fair tests the effectiveness of two ways in detecting the presence of agricultural pests in fruit. I will be evaluating whether a cone beam CT scanner image or a standard digital x ray image will be more effective in detecting meal worms( a readily available “pest prototype”) in pitted fruit (peaches).

Canada, U.S and Mexico alone spend millions of dollars a year on pest control and controlling the transport of pests. The main reason why we can’t travel with fruits or vegetables is because countries are trying to prevent the accidental introduction of unwanted pests such as the cactus moth, fruit flies, and pine beetles. Currently, digital x rays are used by the customs and airport security officers to detect fruits or vegetables in luggage, or dangerous items. Trained dogs are also utilized to sniff out fruit in luggage. At most borders between countries there are inspectors who specialize in detecting the presence of pests in fruits, both microscopic and non-microscopic. When they are faced with Thermo – Kings full of fruit, (Thermo Kings are giant trucks capable of carrying 3 tons of fruit across vast expanses) the inspectors take a statistic sample of the fruit and dissect the specimens. When unsure they consult a microscope. This method has a 95% chance of being successful. Perhaps a CT scanner would be faster and more efficient in detecting these pests.

The CT scanner was invented by Godfrey Hounsfield, a man working for the EMI Company. When the EMI company sighned a contract with the Beatles, they let Hounsfeild take some funding supplyed by the bands sales to use toward his own independent research. The EMI first released his invention, the CT scanner, in 1972, and its benifited the medical community worldwide.

My science fair will spread the awareness of accidental introduction of unwanted pests, and the potential environmental and economic damage. It will also provide people with a further knowledge about CT scanners; a fairly new lifesaving technology used in medicine that I believe has the potential to be used in different fields of work, such as pest control. It is important for us to know the most effective way to detect pests so we can find them and prevent their spread.