Scouts Offer New Robotics Merit Badge

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STEVE INSKEEP, host:

Today's last word in business recalls the pledge of the Boy Scouts: On my honor I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country. Who knows, maybe someday they will change the pledge to say: I will do my best to build robots.

Yesterday, the Boy Scouts of America unveiled a new merit badge. Along with wilderness survival, archery and canoeing, Scouts can now earn a badge in robotics. To do so, they will have to design a robot and demonstrate how it works to get that badge.

The new batch is part of a push by the Scouts to encourage the study of science, engineering and math, as well as computers. A Boy Scouts official says these are vital skills - much like camping and fishing were survival skills 100 years ago when the Boy Scouts were founded. So now along with birding and first aid Scouts can also learn merit badges in composite materials, nuclear science and space exploration.

That's the business news on MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

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