(SOUNDBITE OF TOSHIO MATSUURA'S "L.M. Left: The diabolical ironclad beetle lives up to its name, with an armor-like exoskeleton that’s extremely crush resistant. The ‘diabolical ironclad beetle’ can withstand enormous crushing force more than 39,000 times its own body weight, enough to survive being run over by a car. The diabolical ironclad beetle can survive being run over by a car in some cases. This toughness makes the diabolical ironclad beetle pretty predator-proof. DAVID KISAILUS: We heard from folklore that you could run them over with a car or step on them, and they don't die. It has a distinctly hard-to-squish shape, notes David Kisailus. The ‘diabolical ironclad beetle’ can withstand enormous crushing force more than 39,000 times its own body weight, enough to survive being run over by a car. Photo credit: Kurt Komoda Photography . He works at Clemson University in South Carolina. Scientists analysed the beetle’s elytron – a hardened […] Linkedin. Further experiments showed that the features observed in the diabolical ironclad beetle’s exoskeleton could be used to develop techniques for joining materials. engineer: A person who uses science to solve problems. These protrusions are tightly interlocked and highly damage-resistant. Those connections are stiff. The diabolical ironclad beetle is like a tiny tank on six legs. Writing in Nature, Rivera et al. Journal:​ ​​ J. Rivera et al. Its basic biology “is not particularly well-known.” The potential for using beetle-inspired designs for sturdier airplanes and other structures is intriguing, Caterino adds. It takes a microscope to view objects this small, such as bacteria or other one-celled organisms. Purdue researchers simulated this mechanism using 3D-printed versions of the blades. KISAILUS: The two halves of its exoskeleton, which are called elytra, unlike a flying beetle, which can open and close its elytra, this structure is fused together. “You can imagine the beetle’s exoskeleton almost like two halves of a clamshell sitting on top of each other,” Kisailus says. 1) has an impressively tough exoskeleton — allowing it to survive attacks from predators, being stomped on by hikers and even being run over by cars. The aptly named diabolical ironclad beetle (Phloeodes diabolicus) has an exoskeleton so strong, it can survive being pecked by birds and even run over by cars. The beetle is known for being so durable that it bends the steel pins usually used to mount insects for display, says Michael Caterino. lizard: A type of reptile that typically walks on four legs, has a scaly body and a long tapering tail. “I found it fascinating” to learn what makes the beetle so tough, he says. The second key feature is a rigid joint that runs the length of the beetle’s back. Carol Duff, MSN, BA, RN-October 24, 2020. Wednesday, 21 October 2020 The diabolical ironclad beetle can withstand being run over by a car. compression: Pressing on one or more sides of something in order to reduce its volume. Free educator resources are available for this article. A CT scan of the diabolical ironclad beetle shows how its organs are spaced beneath a super-tough exoskeleton. With time, those fractures also will heal. Now scientists have figured out what makes its exoskeleton so tough — … Kisailus was part of a team that tested how much the beetle’s armor would compress. Cells within a tissue work as a unit to perform a particular function in living organisms. Content Continues Below NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. Nosoderma diabolicum (formerly Phloeodes diabolicus), common name: diabolical ironclad beetle, is a beetle of the Family Zopheridae.It is found in deserts of western North America, where it lives on fungi growing under tree bark.It is flightless and has a lifespan of two years, which compared to the weeks or months long lifespan of a typical beetle goes to show the value of protection. Crush-resistant exoskeleton allows the diabolical ironclad beetle to survive being run over by a CAR. Tightly interlocked and impact-absorbing structures link together pieces of the beetle’s exoskeleton. protein: A compound made from one or more long chains of amino acids. The diabolical ironclad beetle dwells in desert regions of western North America. The 'diabolical ironclad beetle' can withstand enormous crushing force more than 39,000 times its own body weight, enough to survive being run over by a … A diabolical ironclad beetle can withstand the crushing force of 39,000 times its own body weight. Its exceptional strength comes from highly specialised armour which makes its exoskeleton one of the hardest materials in … This creature has evolved a method of resisting force that puts our best material science and engineering to shame. The exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans are largely made of chitin. The beetle’s exoskeleton is one of the toughest, most crush-resistant structures known to man. The diabolical ironclad beetle looks sort of like a rock — and it’s almost as unbreakable. A series of protrusions, called blades, join the two sides. Enter your e-mail address above. A CT scan of the diabolical ironclad beetle shows how its organs are spaced beneath a super-tough exoskeleton. Scientists analysed the beetle’s elytron – a hardened […] A stink beetle or a Namibian beetle are more rounded. Its exceptional strength comes from highly specialised armour which makes its exoskeleton one of the hardest materials in the biological world. By. The diabolical ironclad beetle is like a tiny tank on six legs. The diabolical ironclad beetle can withstand forces up to 39,000 times its body weight. They’re almost like zipper teeth. He’s a materials scientist at the University of California, Irvine. The structure of a beetle’s super-strong exoskeleton could open up new engineering applications, and efforts to address diversity and equality imbalances in academia. She says this engineering trick could help build tougher drones or helmets by providing a new way to join different types of materials. He says this toughness could also be applied to exploring far-away places beyond our planet. Copyright © 2020 NPR. Accuracy and availability may vary. Vol. predator: (n: predation) A creature that preys on other animals for most or all of its food. Proteins glue together layers of tissue in these blades. Credit: Purdue University/Maryam Hosseini and Pablo Zavattieri The diabolical ironclad beetle is so tough that engineers are hoping to copy features of its exoskeleton to design stronger and more robust structures. Right: X-ray tomography revealed microscopic structures that join the exoskeletal sections together and enable the beetle, about 2 cm long, … glue: A sticky substance that attaches one material to another. According to a new study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, the diabolical ironclad beetle's near-invincibility is thanks to the insect's tough exoskeleton … UCI researchers led a project to study the components and architectures responsible for making the creature so indestructible. Email. This seemingly benign, relatively small beetle lives in oak tree forests i UCI researchers led a project to study the components and architectures responsible for making the creature so indestructible. Now scientists have figured out what makes its exoskeleton so tough — and that insight could help people build tougher aircraft. In this episode: 01:17 Insights into an armoured insect The diabolical ironclad beetle has an exoskeleton so strong, it can survive being run over by a car. So tough, it can survive being run over by a car, The New York Times reported. Nature is full of lessons for curious engineers. Those structures help the beetle survive enormous crushing forces. Nature. pressure: Force applied uniformly over a surface, measured as force per unit of area. The diabolical ironclad beetle is so tough, it can survive getting run over by a car applying ~100 newtons of force. “You can run these things over with a … The diabolical ironclad beetle is so tough that engineers are hoping to copy features of its exoskeleton to design stronger and more robust structures. Scientists’ interest in the diabolical ironclad beetle is more than academic. All rights reserved. The diabolical ironclad beetle is found in the forests of North America's Pacific coast. Near the front of the beetle, around its vital organs, those ridges are highly interlinked. This insect’s rugged exoskeleton is so tough that the beetle can survive getting run over by cars. (Photo: Native to desert habitats in Southern California, the diabolical ironclad beetle has an exoskeleton that’s one of the toughest, most crush-resistant structures known to exist in the animal kingdom. An animal might be able to swallow this insect whole, Kisailus says. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. All rights reserved. So if we have design principles that allows you to be able to make that much stronger and tougher, that's going to have a wider potential of applications for materials beyond Air Force material. Purdue researchers simulated this mechanism using 3D-printed versions of the blades. The ‘diabolical ironclad beetle’ can withstand enormous crushing force more than 39,000 times its own body weight, enough to survive being run over by a car. Unlike most reptiles, lizards also typically have movable eyelids. Native to desert habitats in Southern California, the diabolical ironclad beetle has an exoskeleton that’s one of the toughest, most crush-resistant structures known to exist in the animal kingdom. Credit: Purdue University/Maryam Hosseini and Pablo Zavattieri The first is a series of connections linking the top and bottom halves of its exoskeleton. tissue: Made of cells, it is any of the distinct types of materials that make up animals, plants or fungi. (v.) To perform these tasks, or the name for a person who performs such tasks. ULRICH: There's all these different colors that have been painted of solutions to problems that we haven't even thought of yet. 1270. CC 2.0 Sporting perhaps the best name of any animal in nature, the “diabolical ironclad beetle” is a true marvel of evolution. They form the basis of living cells, muscle and tissues; they also do the work inside of cells. Who knows what other critters might one day reveal similarly clever examples of natural engineering. The diabolical ironclad beetle has a very tough exoskeleton that can survive being run over by a car and withstand 39,000 times its body weight. That would be like a person shouldering a stack of some 40 M1 Abrams battle tanks. Founded in 2003, Science News for Students is a free, award-winning online publication dedicated to providing age-appropriate science news to learners, parents and educators. He’s an engineer at UC Irvine. materials scientist: A researcher who studies how the atomic and molecular structure of a material is related to its overall properties. SHAPIRO: As for who cares about tough beetles, well, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research helped fund the work. That hard exterior also is a nuisance for insect collectors. Now scientists have figured out what makes its exoskeleton so tough — and that … 586, October 22, 2020, p. 543. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2813-8. Researchers describe their structure in the October 22 Nature. exoskeleton: A hard, protective outer body covering of many animals that lack a true skeleton, such as an insect, crustacean or mollusk. It's no longer able to fly. The diabolical ironclad beetle is like a tiny tank on six legs. Researchers have discovered that the diabolical ironclad beetle can take on a load of at least 39,000 times its body weight before its exoskeleton begins to fracture. 1719 N Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, Can’t remember? PICTURED: The diabolical ironclad beetle in focus. It has lost the ability to fly, so its super-strong exoskeleton is evolution's compensation. Native to desert habitats in Southern California, the diabolical ironclad beetle has an exoskeleton that’s one of the toughest, most crush-resistant structures known to exist in the animal kingdom. Its nearly indestructible shell, coupled with its convincing acting skills when it comes to playing dead, leave the beetle with few predators. This flexibility helps the beetle absorb compression in a part of its body that is safer to squish. The publication, as well as Science News magazine, are published by the Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. Native to desert habitats in Southern California, the diabolical ironclad beetle has an exoskeleton that’s one of the toughest, most crush-resistant structures known to exist in the animal kingdom. Aura Gimm is a program officer there. (Photo: Native to desert habitats in Southern California, the diabolical ironclad beetle has an exoskeleton that’s one of the toughest, most crush-resistant structures known to exist in the animal kingdom. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by e-mail. He’s an entomologist, someone who studies insects. Now scientists have investigated the secrets of how the beetle can withstand forces up to 39,000 times its body weight. Near the back of the beetle, the ridges are not as tightly interlocked. Their analyses of a material’s overall properties (such as density, strength and melting point) can help engineers and other researchers select materials that are best suited to a new application. Washington, D.C. 20036, can ’ t remember of materials spaced beneath a super-tough exoskeleton www.npr.org further! Reporter for physical sciences, covering everything from chemistry to computer science and engineering to.... 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