The diabolical ironclad beetle, which dwells in desert regions of western North America, has a distinctly hard-to-squish shape. “Unlike a stink beetle, or a Namibian beetle, which is more rounded … it’s low to the ground [and] it’s flat on top,” says David Kisailus, a materials scientist at the University of California, Irvine. In compression experiments, Kisailus and colleagues found that the beetle could withstand around 39,000 times its own body weight.

While this part of the world is no stranger to extreme heat, scientists say conditions have been worsened because of climate change. “Heat waves happen more frequently now and they are spread around throughout the year,” said Amir AghaKouchak, a professor [of civil and environmental engineering and Earth system science], at University of California, Irvine, in an email. “This is the new normal and most likely it will only get worse in the future unless we take serious actions.” [Subscription required, campus-wide access provided by UCI Libraries.

And scientists have just used a suite of tools to discover the physical and mechanical properties that give the diabolical ironclad beetle its incredible fortitude. "The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it's not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank," said materials scientist David Kisailus of the University of California Irvine.