Media Watch Archives
Meet the diabolical ironclad beetle, which can survive being run over by a car
CBS News -
Scientists are unraveling the mystery of a bug with one of the coolest names in the animal kingdom: the diabolical ironclad beetle. … "The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it's not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank," lead author David Kisailus, a UCI professor of materials science and engineering, said in a news release. … Kisailus said that new, extra-strong materials based on the bug's characteristics will drastically improve the durability of aircraft, automobiles and more. … "This study really bridges the fields of biology, physics, mechanics and materials science toward engineering applications, which you don't typically see in research," Kisailus said. Read More
Study of diabolical ironclad beetle's exoskeleton could help improve aircraft
NPR -
David Kisailus of the University of California, Irvine says what sets the diabolical beetle apart is the unusual architecture of its outer shell. “The two halves of its exoskeleton, which are called elytra … this structure is fused together. It's no longer able to fly. … So what we found was that interface has a jigsaw-puzzle-like geometry that provides exceptional interlocking strength.” Read More
UCI materials scientists discover design secrets of nearly indestructible insect
Bioengineer -
“The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it’s not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank,” said principle investigator and corresponding author David Kisailus, UCI professor of materials science & engineering. “That’s its adaptation: It can’t fly away, so it just stays put and lets its specially designed armor take the abuse until the predator gives up.” Read More
Scientists find secret to 'uncrushable' bug's strength
France24 (AFP) -
Now [UCI] scientists have found a jigsaw-like mechanism in their exoskeletons that helps the little creature tolerate forces up to 39,000 times its own body weight. Their discovery could have implications for engineering and robotics, experts say, and even challenge the position of cockroaches as models of insect indestructibility. Read More
Scientists discover design secrets of nearly indestructible beetle
Yahoo News (PA Media) -
The study, led by engineers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and Purdue University found that the diabolical ironclad beetle’s strength lies in its two armour-like elytron that meet at a line, called a suture, running the length of the abdomen. Read More
This beetle's shell is so diabolically tough it can be driven over. Now we know how
Science Alert -
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. "That's its adaptation: It can't fly away, so it just stays put and lets its specially designed armour take the abuse until the predator gives up." Read More
The diabolical ironclad beetle can survive getting run over by a car. Here’s how
Science News -
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. Read More
Zoology: Secrets of the ‘uncrushable’ diabolical ironclad beetle
Nature -
Lacking the ability to fly away from danger, this insect has crush-resistant exoskeletal forewings (called elytra), which means that it is able to withstand crushing and piercing strikes from predators and can survive being run over by vehicles. … David Kisailus, [UCI professor of material science and engineering] and colleagues report the structural features and material composition of the elytra, which allow the beetle to withstand forces of up to 149 newtons (approximately 39,000 times its body weight). Read More
Crush-resistant exoskeleton allows the diabolical ironclad beetle to survive being run over by a CAR
Daily Mail -
[UCI] scientists analysed the beetle's elytron – a hardened set of forewings that protect the more delicate hindwings underneath – to learn more about the miraculous material. … Using advanced microscopy, spectroscopy and mechanical testing, the authors observed a series of interlocked jigsaw-shaped joints at the middle of the elytra. Read More
Scientists discover the secret of this beetle's super armor
Inside Science -
The diabolical ironclad beetle can survive getting run over by a car. Now, scientists have unlocked the secrets of its armor's strength -- research that may one day help improve aircraft, cars and drones. … "We see a lot of potential applications -- not just in aerospace, but also in the automotive industry, and in drones," said study senior author David Kisailus, a materials scientist at the University of California, Irvine. Read More