Hans Forsberg trained the neighborhood magpies to recycle bottle caps in exchange for food using a machine he built from scratch.
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Magpies are pretty smart as birds go—so smart in fact that they now set an example with recycling trash

Computer scientist Hans Forsberg built a machine that dispenses food in exchange for bottle caps

Whenever a magpie drops a bottle cap into the designated hole, it gets a treat from the dispenser

Over several years, he taught the neighborhood magpies to recycle bottle caps littered around the neighborhood

The adult magpies are cautious, but the young ones are keen on keeping the environment clean

In the future, he hopes to teach them to pick up other kinds of trash, like cigarette butts
