China is way ahead of us....

From FiveThirtyEight "significant digits" for today:

6 billion cockroaches
An indoor farm in Xichang, China, is producing 6 billion cockroaches per year. (Who knew the deli near my apartment had any real competition?) Using artificial intelligence technology to manage nearly 28,000 roaches per square foot — come on, the deli’s technical abilities stop short of being able to accept American Express; this isn’t fair — the company produces potions that purport to do a lot of medical stuff. I think we’re talking about the roach version of snake oil here, though. Local residents near the facility worry about the ecological catastrophe that would result from a breach at the factory, operated by the Gooddoctor Pharmaceutical Group. The fact that Xichang figured out how to monetize cockroaches before New York is the most persuasive argument against American Exceptionalism that I have ever heard.

 

They just have to work out a few bugs for this to succeed.

 

Cochineal extract is made from beetles and used to dye food red. If you’re reading this, you probably ate it. It’s listed right on the can.

 

Big Insect pushing out the little neighborhood guys again.....