Media Watch
Can’t crush this: Beetle armor gives clues to tougher planes
PBS Newshour (AP) -
The beetle study is part of an $8 million project funded by the U.S. Air Force to explore how the biology of creatures such as mantis shrimp and bighorn sheep could help develop impact-resistant materials. “We’re trying to go beyond what nature has done,” said study co-author David Kisailus, a materials scientist and engineer at the University of California, Irvine. Read More
The secrets of the diabolical ironclad beetle’s almost unsquishable strength
Smithsonian Magazine -
While many beetles are rounded on top, the diabolical ironclad is flat and low to the ground, University of California, Irvine, materials scientist David Kisailus tells Science News’ Maria Temming. That makes it hard to squish, since the pressure is distributed over the whole shell. Compression experiments conducted by Kisailus and colleagues showed that the exoskeleton held up against up to the crushing force of 39,000 times the beetle’s body weight. Read More
How studying a nearly indestructible beetle could improve aircraft construction
Axios -
The diabolical ironclad beetle can withstand enormous forces, protecting it from predators — and potentially providing scientists with new designs for materials. … Three different types of supports on the sides of the beetle, where the elytra and the shell on the insect's underside meet, allow the beetle to be compliant so it can squeeze into rocks without crushing its organs, says David Kisailus, a [UCI] materials scientist …. Read More
Near-uncrushable beetle's exoskeleton could inspire tough structures
New Scientist -
“You can run these things over with a car and they don’t die,” says David Kisailus at the University of California, Irvine. … Kisailus hopes that understanding the diabolical ironclad beetle’s uniquely tough structure will help inform the design of stronger components for use in building lighter aircraft, resulting in planes that consume less fuel and emit less carbon dioxide. “No need to reinvent the wheel, just figure out what nature’s done,” he says. Read More
This uncrushable beetle withstands 39,000 times of its weight
Interesting Engineering -
The team, led by David Kisailus, used microscopy, spectroscopy, and mechanical testing to identify what is hidden beneath this unique exoskeleton. And researchers' plan was to find out if the exoskeleton had the potential to be mixed with different materials, such as plastics and metal. They produced joints out of metal and composites based on the ones they observed in the beetle. Read More
UC Irvine named lead researcher for SARS-CoV-2 study
WaterWorld -
The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has announced that a team from the University of California at Irvine will lead Understanding the Factors that Affect the Detection and Variability of SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater (project 5093). The UC Irvine research team is led by Dr. Chenyang “Sunny” Jiang, Professor and Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Read More
Diabolical design is a puzzle
Cosmos Magazine -
Using compressive steel plates, engineers at the University of California Irvine (UCI) found that it can take an applied force of about 150 newtons – a load at least 39,000 times its body weight – before its exoskeleton begins to fracture. … “The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it’s not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank,” says UCI’s David Kisailus. “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
Scientists reveal how diabolical ironclad beetle can survive being run over by car
Yahoo UK (The Independent) -
The study, led by engineers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and Purdue University, found the diabolical ironclad beetle’s remarkable durability is due to two armour-like adaptations in its exoskeleton which have evolved over millions of years. … A team led by UCI professor David Kisailus first tested the limits of the beetle’s exoskeleton and examined the various structural components by looking at CT scans. Read More
This beetle can survive being run over by a car. could it lead to crash-proof human designs?
EcoWatch -
To understand how this exoskeleton works, the researchers first determined how much stress it could take. The answer? Quite a lot. The beetle can withstand a load of around 39,000 times its own body weight. … The Guardian explained. "We were impressed. Especially given that this beetle does not contain any mineral – just organic components," study coauthor and University of California, Irvine professor David Kisailus told The Guardian. Read More
The diabolical ironclad beetle can survive getting run over by a car. Scientists now know how.
USA Today -
"The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it's not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank," David Kisailus, the principal investigator and a materials science and engineering professor at the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement. … A team of researchers, headed by Jesus Rivera, a graduate student at UCI working under Kisailus, performed a series of tests to determine what factors contribute to the beetle's ability to survive getting crushed. Read More