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Confused Cicadas
Jul. 14th, 2006 08:17 pmOne of the delights of Japan is that we have plenty of cicadas, or semi, around. Buzz, buzz, buzz, big bugs clinging to trees and crying for each other. Celebrated in poetry and literature.
But it turns out there is a new problem. Japan has been busily stringing optical fiber hither and thither. And recently there have been breaks. When they investigate, something has broken the sheathing and the fragile fibers inside.
The rumor was that it was cicadas. And experimentation has shown that they will, indeed, do their best to lay eggs in optical cable. It is just the right size - maybe color and texture - for them to think it is a branch, and break the fibers trying to lay eggs in the cable.
Now that's a real bug!
But it turns out there is a new problem. Japan has been busily stringing optical fiber hither and thither. And recently there have been breaks. When they investigate, something has broken the sheathing and the fragile fibers inside.
The rumor was that it was cicadas. And experimentation has shown that they will, indeed, do their best to lay eggs in optical cable. It is just the right size - maybe color and texture - for them to think it is a branch, and break the fibers trying to lay eggs in the cable.
Now that's a real bug!
