「经济学人」Buzzing without being buzzed

文章预览

Buzzing without being buzzed Why Oriental hornets can't get drunk They can guzzle extreme amounts for their size, without suffering ill effects Like people, many animals enjoy having a drink every now and again. Rather than sip brandy or Chablis, though, they feed on fermented fruit, but the effects are the same. Though alcohol is rich in calories, it muddles minds and shortens lifespans. It presents a serious risk to animals and most avoid drinking to excess. Then there is the Oriental hornet, a bug native to northern Africa and south-western Asia, which loves fermented fruits and is so attracted to human-made alcoholic beverages that it will aggressively fight for them with a sting that is akin to being jabbed with a searing hot tack. Everyone has assumed that the rules for the hornet were the same as those for other species—that the alcohol poses them problems. But new research reveals that the rules do not apply. The bugs are immune to becoming drunk and do not have their lives s ………………………………