Smithsonian Data Science Lab News Today

Tortoise shell has been used to produce everything from jewelry to combs to dishware for generations because of its resilience and a gorgeous swirl of translucent amber and brown layers.

While selling real tortoiseshell is now illegal, the practice sadly persists. To fight back, scientists have developed the first-ever app that uses artificial intelligence as a tool against the illegal wildlife trade. Tourists and shoppers can use SEE Shell to determine whether or not a “tortoiseshell” souvenir is genuine. 

Artificial intelligence can spot illicit tortoiseshell with greater ease—a new frontier in the fight against the the illegal wildlife trade.