The sun is a source of energy for all living things.
The technology can help scientists study or look at cells, which in turn can let those scientists figure out if a cell is infected with a virus, or if it's a mutated cell that might cause a disease.
C. maya ignores the inchworms which are slower than snails. For the information to be correct she would have to record every inchworm and snail not just the inchworms that beat the snails.