By Sophie Lewis
22 October 2020 / 7:35
/ CBS News
Scientists solve the mystery of a bug with one of the coolest names in the animal kingdom: the evil armored beetle
Phloeodes diabolicus has one of the most resilient natural exoskeletons scientists have ever seen According to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, the insect’s armor is so durable that few predators have managed to make it. make a meal – and he can even survive being run over by a car
This is a bug where scientists have to punch a hole before they can insert a pin
A team from Purdue University and the University of California at Irvine (UCI) deduced that when extreme pressure is exerted on the beetle, its « crush-resistant » shell adapts to the situation by stretching rather than breaking His almost indestructible shell, coupled with his convincing acting skills when it comes to playing dead, leaves the beetle with few predators
« The battleship is a land scarab, so it is not light and fast, but rather built like a small tank, » said lead author David Kisailus, professor of materials science and engineering at the ‘UCI, in a press release « It’s his adaptation: he can’t fly away, so he just stays put and lets his specially designed armor take the abuse until the predator gives up »
During compression tests, researchers found that the beetle could withstand a force of around 39,000 times its body weight – the equivalent of a 200-pound man supporting the weight of 78 million pounds
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Scientists have found that the insect’s shell, which is native to desert habitats in the southwestern US, evolved to protect it Specifically, its elytra – the blades that open and close on the wings of aerial beetles – merged to act as a strong shield for the beetle, which cannot fly
Analysis of the elytra revealed that it is made up of layers of chitin, fibrous material, and a protein matrix Its exoskeleton contains about 10% more protein by weight than that of a larger flying beetle light
Under compression, the puzzle-like structure of the elytra does not break as expected, but rather slowly fractures
“When you break a piece of the puzzle you would expect it to come apart at the neck, the thinnest part,” Kisailus said. “But we don’t see that kind of catastrophic break with that species of beetle Instead, it delaminates, allowing a more graceful failure of the structure «
Scientists believe that understanding what makes the Iron Beetle so resistant will also have practical applications for humans Kisailus said new extra-solid materials based on the bug’s characteristics will dramatically improve the durability of airplanes, automobiles and more.
Kisailus and his team mimicked the structure of the insect’s exoskeleton using carbon fiber reinforced plastics The result was both stronger and more durable than current aerospace designs
« This study really connects the fields of biology, physics, mechanics, and materials science to engineering applications, which you don’t typically see in research, » Kisailus said » Fortunately, this program, which is sponsored by the Air Force, really allows us to train these multidisciplinary teams that made it possible to connect the dots to lead to this important discovery. »
First published on 21 October 2020 / 17:51
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Sophie Lewis is a social media producer and trend writer for CBS News specializing in space and climate change
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