Animals have been tracked from air and space for decades, with ever-greater success as the number of satellites circling the planet multiplied. The cell towers that now cover the globe have added precision to measurements.
At the same time, the actual tracking devices have benefited from technological spillovers from other areas. Demand for higher-performance smartphones has brought about smaller, energy-efficient chips. Solar panels have shrunk, giving trackers longer life.
Ten years ago, those under 20 grams were deemed state-of-the-art. Now trackers weighing four grams, a touch lighter than a nickel, are common. Scientists project them to shrink further, enabling use with creatures as small as beetles and dragonflies.
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