But both parties have an interest in supporting the basic function of the CBO, in order to buttress their own credibility, and to get some empirically-generated sense of what the future might look like.

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"There is a significant body of scientific and clinical evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of ginkgo extract for both cognitive function and improved circulation, " said Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council.

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Dr Ma even suggested that the robots could behave like many real insects and assist with the pollination of crops, "to function as the now-struggling honeybee populations do in supporting agriculture around the world".

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