The diabolically hardy beetle
It is referred to as the diabolical ironclad beetle — and scientists have discovered that it lives up to its name. The three-quarter-inch flightless creature, which resides in mountainous areas in western states of the US, has been already known to be the only beetle that can survive being run over by an automobile. Now tests have shown that it can withstand an applied force of 149 Newtons, or 39,000 times its own body weight: that’s the equivalent of a human having 280 double decker buses stacked on top of them. To better understand the beetle’s load-bearing capability, the group of US researchers took CT scans of its exoskeleton, and found several unique adaptations. Its hardened and fused elytra (wing covers) are joined in a jigsaw-like pattern, helping diffuse pressure through its entire body. And this carapace is joined into the beetle’s bottom by lateral supports which are stiff where the very important organs require security, but compressible elsewhere, like springs. These attributes could provide the basis for new techniques in engineering. “An active engineering barrier is joining together different substances without restricting their capacity to support plenty,” explained Dr David Restrepo at the University of Texas.