Articles
Thank God for
Beetles
Compiled by Karl C. Priest June 26, 2021
THE POINT HAS BEEN POWERFULLY PROVED: EVOLUTION IS A LIE!
(NO NEW ITEMS WILL BE ADDED AFTER JUNE 2, 2022.)
[This page is a subsection of "Thank God for Insects".]
It is hard to beat beetles. Bountiful breathtaking beetle facts are throughout this compilation of the Creator’s creations.
It depends on the level of stiffness: Researchers investigate beetle penises
The penis of the thistle tortoise beetle is as long as the beetle itself. Something that initially sounds exciting, can be complicated during mating. This is because the females also have a hyper-elongated sexual organ, which is additionally twisted in the shape of a spiral…Further investigations are intended to provide clarity about the complicated (evolutionary-omit that word and it changes noting of the real science) background to beetle sex. The effort is also worthwile from the biomimetics point of view : The composition and the mechanics of such miniature structures could provide new ideas for medical micro injection needles.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/160707115228.htm
Beetle feet solve sticky problem
These structures could be replicated synthetically to make new adhesives; however, Bullock and Federle believe that a better understanding of their detailed function is needed before this can take place. In their study…they concluded “The question of how forces in natural adhesive systems run from the single-hair to the whole-animal level is a central, unresolved problem. Its understanding will be a prerequisite for the design of bio-inspired synthetic adhesives.”
https://scienceillustrated.com.au/blog/nature/beetle-feet-solve-sticky-problem/
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.
Whirligig beetles inspire energy-efficient robots
Zhang saw the curious beetle as inspiration for developing energy-efficient propulsion mechanisms for swimming vehicles and robots. His team discovered separate leg functions, alternative patterns of leg propulsion, a unique take-off technique and maximizing surface area as key to the beetle's inner workings...Zhang's team looks to nature for inspiration in engineering . By studying the movements of the whirligig beetle, the team is applying nature's principles to bio-inspired swimming and diving robots. He is designing the robots for the Office of Naval Research through their Young Investigator Program.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121129173950.htm
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation . NOTE: Replace “nature” with “God” for reality.
Microstructure found in beetle's exoskeleton contributes to color and damage resistance
Beetles are creatures with built-in body armor. They are tiny tanks covered with hard shells, also known as exoskeletons, protecting their soft, skeleton-less bodies inside. In addition to providing armored protection, the beetle's exoskeleton offers functions like sensory feedback and hydration control. Notably, the exoskeletons of many beetles are also brilliantly colored and patterned, which enhances visual communication with other beetles and organisms. Ling Li, lead investigator and assistant professor in mechanical engineering, has joined colleagues from six other universities to investigate the interplay between mechanical and optical performance in beetle exoskeletons…The final objective was to determine which property, optical or mechanical, is more optimized when evolution "designs" (This is an idiotic statement. It is simply making evolution into a god. Karl) the microstructure… This result indicated that optical performance took priority over mechanical performance during the evolution (Reality and science would replace those words with “in the design.” Karl) of this peculiar multilayer, micropillar structure. "This work presents a remarkable example of how natureachieves (Nature cannot achieve anything. Karl) multifunctionality with unique microstructural designs," (Design requires a Designer. Karl) said Li. "We believe the material strategies revealed in this work can be used in designing (If they succeed, they are intelligent designers. Karl) photonic coating materials with robust mechanical performance. Our interdisciplinary approach based on materials, optics, mechanics, and biology also offers an important avenue to understanding the evolution at a materials level." (That is an imbecilic statement! Karl)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210629134309.htm
How antibiotic-filled feces helps 'bessbug' beetles stay healthy
Researchers have discovered that the frass of the horned passalus beetle is teeming with antibiotic and antifungal chemicals similar to the ones that humans use to ward off bacterial and fungal infections. Understanding the symbiotic relationship between bessbug beetles, actinomycetes and their antimicrobial compounds could help speed the search for new antibiotic drugs, and help doctors create better strategies for preventing the rise of antibiotic-resistant infections.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210526115450.htm
Latch, load and release: Elastic motion makes click beetles click
Click beetles can propel themselves more than 20 body lengths into the air, and they do so without using their legs… Many insects use various mechanisms to overcome the limitations of their muscles. However, unlike other insects, click beetles use a unique hingelike tool in their thorax, just behind the head, to jump. To determine how the hinge works, the team used high-speed X-rays to observe and quantify how a click beetle's body parts move before, during and after the ultrafast energy release… The acceleration of this motion is more the 300 times that of the Earth's gravitational acceleration. That is a lot of energy coming from such a small organism, the researchers said. "Surprisingly, the beetle can repeat this clicking maneuver without sustaining any significant physical damage," Dunn said. "That pushed us to focus on figuring out what the beetles use for energy storage, release and dissipation." "We discovered that the insect uses a phenomenon called snap-buckling--a basic principle of mechanical engineering--to release elastic energy extremely quickly,”… "We were surprised to find that the beetles use these basic engineering principles . If an engineer wanted to build a device that jumps like a click beetle, they would likely design it the same way nature did," Wissa said. "This work turned out to be a great example of how engineering can learn from nature and how nature demonstrates physics and engineering principles." "These results are fascinating from an engineering perspective.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210118161159.htm
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.
It would be accurate to replace “nature” with “God” or “God’s design.”
From another report: (C)lick beetles lock, load, and fire themselves using spring-latch systems similar to the inner workings of a mechanical camera…This jump can launch a beetle with accelerations up to 300-times that of gravity, or 100-times larger than the acceleration felt by astronauts during a rocket launch…Surprisingly, the beetles don’t sustain any internal or external damage during the jump or landing…The tricks these creatures use could inspire a new generation of small and super powerful insect-like robots capable of generating and sustaining high-acceleration movements.
https://massivesci.com/articles/click-beetle-mechanics-jump-fast/
An origami-based robotic structure inspired by ladybird wings
Researchers at Seoul National University have recently developed a compact and lightweight origami structure inspired by ladybird beetles. In a paper published in Science Robotics they show how this structure can be used to build a winged jump-gliding robot. Jump-gliding is a specific locomotion style that combines gliding and jumping movements…Cho and his colleagues set out to develop a design strategy for jump-gliding robots that draws inspiration from nature, more specifically from ladybird beetles. Ladybirds can rapidly deploy their intricately folded wings within 0.1 seconds; a time shorter than the blink of an eye. Moreover, a ladybird's wings are known to be highly resistant and sturdy, which prevents them from folding or buckling when flapping at a high frequency. Cho and his colleagues wanted to create an artificial structure with qualities resembling those of ladybird wings, which could be deployed as a wing both quickly and efficiently…The reason that ladybird wings are both easily deployable and resistant is that they are built around a uniquely shaped tape spring-like vein…" Nature uses combinations of functionalities to produce these movements, but current robots are focused on a single functionality. By developing new components that are suitable for combining multiple functionalities, future robots could have multi-modal capabilities without the need to increase the complexity or weight of a robot."
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-06-origami-based-robotic-ladybird-wings.html
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.
KUBeetle-S: An insect-inspired robot that can fly for up to 9 minutes
Researchers at Konkuk University in South Korea recently created KUBeetle-S, a flying robot inspired by a species of horned beetle called Allomyrina dichotoma, which is among the largest insects on the planet…In addition to enhancing the robot wings' lift and lift-to-power ratio, the design strategies employed by Prof. Park and his colleagues reduce the overall input voltage…In addition to improving the robot's endurance and increasing its flight time, the new strategies introduced by Dr. Park, Phan and their colleagues allow it to move in any direction, fly outdoors, and carry extra payloads. These qualities make the robot better suited for a number of real-world applications, such as moving objects from one place to another.
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-06-kubeetle-s-insect-inspired-robot-minutes.html
Harvesting Water as Inspired by a Darkling Beetle (2017)
Water is a scarce commodity in dry regions so scientists have come up with an ingenious way of collecting water from fog to provide relief to people living in these areas. The idea is borrowed from a beetle that lives in the desert and is able to keep itself alive by trapping water on its body, the Namib or Darkling beetle. Such a technique of harnessing water would be both environmentally friendly and a revolutionary way of harvesting water particularly in the dry areas where it is scarce. The darkling beetle is a small bug that lives in harsh and dry conditions, and the nature of its shell makes it a master water collector. Its hardened shell contains tiny grooves or bumps where water is condensed and channelled to the beetle’s mouth.
The beetle is able to trap water or fog by sticking the back part of its body facing the foggy wind. This behaviour is known as fog-basking. This position is just as important to water collection as the surface is. In addition, the shell is made out of a slick wax that resembles Teflon so water easily flows off its body and into the mouth…After spending a considerable amount of time studying the water collecting mechanism of the Namib Beetle, researchers have imitated this astounding method by creating water collection nets and even bottles…Water harvested from fog is quite clean, lacking microorganisms and bacteria so it’s not only perfect for drinking but also for irrigating plants. Additionally, installation and maintenance of fog-harvesting technology has little to no impact to the environment. No energy is required in this process so toxic gases are not released to the atmosphere. It’s absolutely environmentally friendly. Water is critical to life. It’s really sad when there are people in the world who are dying due to lack of water yet there such ingenious ways of tapping water! These methods, if implemented, are bound to give water security to millions all across the globe.
https://permaculturenews.org/2017/02/28/harvesting-water-inspired-darkling-beetle/
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.
Pulling water from thin air (2016)
Inspired by a desert beetle, cactus and pitcher plant, researchers design a new material to collect water droplets. Organisms such as cacti and desert beetles can survive in arid environments because (Replace "they've evolved" with "they have" for scientific accuracy.) mechanisms to collect water from thin air. The Namib desert beetle, for example, collects water droplets on the bumps of its shell while V-shaped cactus spines guide droplets to the plant's body. As the planet grows drier, researchers are looking to nature for more effective ways to pull water from air. Now, a team of researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University have drawn inspiration from these organisms to develop a better way to promote and transport condensed water droplets. "Everybody is excited about bioinspired materials research,"…For years, researchers focused on the hybrid chemistry of the beetle's bumps -- a hydrophilic top with hydrophobic surroundings -- to explain how the beetle attracted water. However, Aizenberg and her team took inspiration from a different possibility -- that convex bumps themselves also might be able to harvest water…"This research is an exciting first step towards developing a passive system that can efficiently collect water and guide it to a reservoir," said Kim.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160224150731.htm
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.
Namib Desert beetle inspires self-filling water bottle ( 2012 )
NBD Nano aims to mimic the way a beetle survives in an African desert to create a self-filling water bottle capable of storing up to three litres every hour. The insect harvests moisture from the air by first getting it to condense on its back and then storing the water. Using nature as an inspiration for technology, known as biomimicry, is increasingly widespread. NBD Nano, which consists of four recent university graduates and was formed in May, looked at the Namib Desert beetle that lives in a region that gets about half an inch of rainfall per year. Using a similar approach, the firm wants to cover the surface of a bottle with hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repellent) materials. The work is still in its early stages, but it is the latest example of researchers looking at nature to find inspiration for sustainable technology. "It was important to apply [biomimicry] to our design and we have developed a proof of concept and [are] currently creating our first fully-functional prototype," … "There is a range of viable markets for them, like the military or the outdoors market, people going camping, and the advantage that they may have is a much lower energy input device," said Mr Harvey.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-20465982
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.
GoPro for beetles: Researchers create a tiny robotic camera backpack that can be strapped onto insects and provide a 'bug's eye' view
A tiny robotic camera backpack has been created by scientists that can be strapped on the back of insects to record the world from the perspective of a bug...Uses for the camera could range from biology to exploring uncharted environments, its developers say… Shyam Gollakota, senior author of the study, said: 'We have created a low-power, low-weight, wireless camera system that can capture a first-person view of what's happening from an actual live insect or create vision for small robots…Vision is an energy-intensive process and to reduce the power needs of the camera the researchers drew inspiration from the eyes of insects… After building the camera system, the researchers strapped it to two species of beetle known to be strong enough to bear the weight… 'But also, insects can traverse rocky environments, which is really challenging for robots to do at this scale. So this system can also help us out by letting us see or collect samples from hard-to-navigate spaces.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8526113/GoPro-beetles-Researchers-create-tiny-robotic-camera-backpack.html
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.
This beetle can survive getting run over by a car; Engineers are figuring out how
Getting run over by a car is not a near-death experience for the diabolical ironclad beetle. How the beetle survives could inspire the development of new materials with the same herculean toughness, engineers show. These materials would be stiff but ductile like a paper clip, making machinery such as aircraft gas turbines safer and longer-lasting, the researchers said…Even if a maximum force is applied to the beetle's exoskeleton, delamination allows the interconnecting blades to pull out from the suture more gently. If the blades were to interlock too much or too little, the sudden release of energy would cause the beetle's neck to snap. It's not yet known if the diabolical ironclad beetle has a way to heal itself after surviving a car "accident." But knowing about these strategies could already solve fatigue problems in various kinds of machinery. "An active engineering challenge is joining together different materials without limiting their ability to support loads. The diabolical ironclad beetle has strategies to circumvent these limitations.”… UCI researchers built a carbon fiber composite fastener mimicking a diabolical ironclad beetle's suture. Purdue researchers found through loading tests that this fastener is just as strong as a standard aerospace fastener, but significantly tougher. "This work shows that we may be able to shift from using strong, brittle materials to ones that can be both strong and tough by dissipating energy as they break. That's what nature has enabled the diabolical ironclad beetle to do," Zavattieri said.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201021112341.htm
From another source: "The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it's not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank…"It can't fly away, so it just stays put and lets its specially designed armor take the abuse until the predator gives up."… (I)n the ironclad beetle, researchers say the elytra has evolved (BWAH HAH HAH HAAAA!) to become "a solid, protective shield."…The research, funded by the Air Force, may very well prove to be beneficial for the development of ultra-durable aircrafts, he added.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/10/22/diabolical-ironclad-beetle-how-can-survive-being-run-over-car/3725157001/
Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.
U.S. Military Looks to Beetles for New Sensors
The researchers want to mimic the beetles' sensors, which are finely tuned to detect infrared radiation in the spectrum put off by forest fires. Robotic devices built with this technology could detect chemical or infrared emissions more cost-efficiently than current technology. For example, the U.S. Department of Defense has a variety of systems that use infrared sensors, such as eat-seeking missiles, but in order for the sensors to work they must be cooled to freezing temperatures, which is expensive. "If you get rid of the need for cooling but maintain sensitivity you have a tremendous gain in weight, size, complexity, maintenance, durability, et cetera," said Hugh DeLong, a contract officer with the U.S. Air Force's Air Force office of Scientific Research in Arlington, Virginia... Schmitz says the applications of this technology are many, including every field of application where other technical infrared sensors are used today. "That means we could detect infrared radiation emitted from low-temperature infrared sources like animals or humans as well as infrared radiation emitted from very hot surfaces or fires," he said.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/03/0314_030314_secretweapons3_2.html
The secret of beetles that waterski so fast they vanish
“I’m surprised that they have something this elegant…Understanding the motion of the beetles could help us develop robots that move across water quickly. Many current designs are based on water striders, which move more slowly. Mukundarajan also thinks studying the beetle’s wings could give insight into a phenomenon that occurs when an aircraft is flying low .
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2079427-the-secret-of-beetles-that-waterski-so-fast-they-vanish/
Beetle-inspired discovery could reduce frost's costly sting
In a discovery that may lead to ways to prevent frost on airplane parts, condenser coils, and even windshields…The inspiration for the work came from an unlikely source -- the Namib Desert Beetle, which makes headlines because it lives in one of the hottest places in the world, yet it still collects airborne water…Creating frost-free zones on larger surfaces could have a variety of applications -- consider the water that forms and freezes on heat pump coils or the deicing with harsh chemicals that has to take place on wind turbines or airplane wings…It could result in huge cost savings."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160122083436.htm
Arctic beetles may be ideal marker of climate change
Researchers need to find ways to measure how the changes in climate are affecting biodiversity. One of the best places to look may be down at our feet, at beetles. That`s because, as a research team discovered after doing the first large-scale survey of Arctic beetles, these six-legged critters are not only abundant in number but also diverse in feeding habits and what they eat is closely linked to the latitude in which they are found. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150422142302.htm
Cyborg beetle research allows free-flight study of insects
Hard-wiring beetles for radio-controlled flight turns out to be a fitting way to learn more about their biology…“This is a demonstration of how tiny electronics can answer interesting, fundamental questions for the larger scientific community.”
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2015/03/16/beetle-backpack-steering-muscle/
How some beetles produce a scalding defensive spray
Understanding the (bombardier) beetles' ability to survive these intense internal explosions may help in designing blastprotection systems; this study shows how the sophisticated and specialized biological design of the system works to simultaneously achieve defensive and protective functions.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150430145122.htm
Biomimetic dew harvesters: What the desert beetle could teach us about improving drinking water collection
Insects are full of marvels -- and this is certainly the case with a beetle from the Tenebrionind family, found in the extreme conditions of the Namib desert. Now, a team of scientists has demonstrated that such insects can collect dew on their backs -- and not just fog as previously thought. This is made possible by the wax nanostructure on the surface of the beetle's elytra…They bring us a step closer to harvesting dew to make drinking water from the humidity in the air. This, the team hopes, can be done by improving the water yield of human-made dew condensers that mimick the nanostructure on the beetle's back…The cooling capability is ideal, they demonstrated, because the insect's back demonstrates near-perfect infrared emissivity.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141208105345.htm
Longhorn beetle inspires ink to fight counterfeiting
From water marks to colored threads, governments are constantly adding new features to paper money to stay one step ahead of counterfeiters. Now a longhorn beetle has inspired yet another way to foil cash fraud, as well as to produce colorful, changing billboards and art displays. In the journal ACS Nano, researchers report a new kind of ink that mimics the beetle's color-shifting ability in a way that would be long-lasting and difficult to copy … . For inspiration, Gu's team turned to Tmesisternus isabellae, a longhorn beetle that can shift from gold to red and back again, depending on the humidity. The researchers designed an ink that they can finely tune to change color, for example, from bright green to yellow or red when exposed to ethanol vapors. It can also return to its original color. The ink is also durable, resistant to bleaching when exposed to light and can be applied to hard or flexible surfaces. (emphasis added)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141105101240.htm
The tiger beetle: Too fast to see: Biologist looks into how the speedy predator pursues prey
The tiger beetle, relative to its size, is the fastest creature on Earth. Some of these half-inch-long beetles cover about 120 body lengths per second (at about five miles per hour). The fastest human can do about five body lengths. To take the sprinting gold from the tiger beetle, a person would have to hit 480 miles per hour. BUT! The tiger beetle has a problem. At peak speeds, everything becomes a blur. They can't gather enough light with their eyes, and vision is compromised. It can still perceive the pursued but not at all clearly… This research, Zurek says, reveals a novel and potentially widespread mechanism for how behavioral decisions can be made based on visual "rules" in dynamic situations, where both the observer and the target are moving.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141106152903.htm
The beetle's white album: Beetle shells could inspire brighter, whiter coatings and materials
The physical properties of the ultra-white scales on certain species of beetle could be used to make whiter paper, plastics and paints, while using far less material than is used in current manufacturing methods. The Cyphochilus beetle, which is native to South-East Asia, is whiter than paper, thanks to ultra-thin scales which cover its body. A new investigation of the optical properties of these scales has shown that they are able to scatter light more efficiently than any other biological tissue known, which is how they are able to achieve such a bright whiteness. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140815102227.htm
Chemists mimic bombardier beetles to safeguard ATMs
A team of chemists in Switzerland has developed a new way to protect cash inside of ATM machines from thieves—by automatically setting off a nasty chemical reaction if the machine is molested… As the team describes it, their idea was inspired by the bombardier beetle which releases a hot nasty chemical when bitten by a predator. The chemical reaction comes about due to the release of an enzyme that mixes with hydrogen peroxide held inside the beetle's body. Instead of releasing an enzyme, the system envisioned by the team in Switzerland relies on a thin membrane being broken by would-be thieves… The researchers suggest that their system could also be modified for use in other applications as well, such as inside medical implants (certain conditions would lead to the automatic release of drug perhaps) or as a pest deterrent on crops.
http://phys.org/news/2014-03-chemists-mimic-bombardier-beetles-safeguard.html
Blinded by speed, tiger beetles use antennae to 'see' while running
A tiger beetle “runs so fast it can no longer see where it's going. Cornell University researchers have discovered that, unlike insects that wave their "feelers" around to acquire information, tiger beetles rigidly hold their antennae directly in front of them to mechanically sense their environments and avoid obstacles while running, according to a study published online in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B… autonomous vehicles could employ protruding antennae to sense their surroundings, as some of the first robots were fitted with, said Gilbert. "It would be cheaper than cameras," he said. "For some applications, an antennae might be a solution, it is certainly one that worked evolutionarily for tiger beetles."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140211113704.htm
Beetles in Rubber Boots: Scientists Study Ladybugs' Feet
The knowledge of the working principles of insects' microstructures holds great potential for the development of new materials, which could be of use to humans… A lot of insects are able to climb up walls or walk upside down on surfaces. The new study shows for the first time what astonishing materials allow for these abilities. Using special microscopy techniques, confocal laser scanning microscopy and atomic force microscopy, Michels and his colleagues investigated the legs of ladybirds… Increasing scientific knowledge of nature's tricks (See BWAH HAH HAH HAAAA! and Helping Evolutionists Get It Right. Karl) represents important fundamental research for the future development and improvement of surface active materials… However, the material composition of the ladybird's adhesive hair is so complex that there is currently no material available, which would make such a reproduction possible. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130814144746.htm
Unknown Species and Larval Stages of Extremely Long-Legged Beetles Discovered by DNA Test
Such beetles are often highly sensitive to water pollution and are therefore greatly valued as bioindicators. The researchers aim at providing basic knowledge and identification tools for tropical species that are potentially useful as freshwater bioindicators.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111018095122.htm
Self-filling water bottle takes cues from desert beetle
A US start-up has turned to nature to help bring water to arid areas by drawing moisture from the air. NBD Nano aims to mimic the way a beetle survives in an African desert to create a self-filling water bottle capable of storing up to three litres every hour. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20465982) Sorenson said the company is looking to incorporate the bottle in greenhouses or green roofs in the immediate future, but later on will be looking to see how far they can scale up to supply larger agricultural goals. ( http://phys.org/news/2012-11-self-filling-bottle-cues-beetle.html) A number of companies have recently been researching nature-inspired solutions to real-life problems. Electronics firm Qualcomm studied light reflection on butterfly wings to design its Mirasol e-reader display.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20465982
Scientists Mimic Fireflies to Make Brighter LEDs: New Bio-Inspired Coating That Increases LED Efficiency by 55 Percent
The nighttime twinkling of fireflies has inspired scientists to modify a light-emitting diode (LED) so it is more than one and a half times as efficient as the original… The overlayer, which increased LED light extraction by up to 55 percent, could be easily tailored to existing diode designs to help humans light up the night while using less energy… In Optics Express papers, Bay, Vigneron, and colleagues first describe the intricate structures they saw when they examined firefly lanterns and then present how the same features could enhance LED design.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130108112453.htm
Nanotechnology Used to Harness Power of Fireflies
Scientists at Syracuse University found a new way to harness the natural light produced by fireflies (called bioluminescence) using nanoscience. Their breakthrough produces a system that is 20 to 30 times more efficient than those produced during previous experiments.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120615114104.htm
Inspired by a beetle that draws water from the air, scientist creates self-filling water bottle
“We see this being applicable to anything from marathon runners to people in third-world countries, because we realize that water is such a large issue in the world today, and we want to try to alleviate those problems with a cost-efficient solution. We are looking to incorporate this in greenhouses or green roofs in the immediate future, and then later on, we’re looking to see how far we can really scale this up to supply maybe farms or larger agricultural goals.”.. Cofounder Deckard Sorensen says the device design mimics the way that the Namib Desert beetle pulls the water it needs to survive from extremely dry air. One product they talk about is the water bottle that constantly refills itself.
http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2012/11/21/inspired-by-a-beetle-that-draws-water-from-the-air-scientist-creates-self-filling-water-bottle/
Diamond Weevil's Rainbow Bling Really Is Diamond
"Materials scientists could look to these scales to inspire new materials, but we don't yet know how they are made," said biophysicist Bodo Wilts of the University of Groningen, co-author of a Dec. 21 study of the scales in Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/12/diamond-weevil-rainbow-scales/
Beetle Bling: Researchers Discover Optical Secrets of 'Metallic' Beetles
Today, the brilliant gold- ( Chrysina aurigans) and silver-colored ( Chrysina limbata) beetles have given optics researchers new insights into the way biology can recreate the appearance of some of nature's most precious metals, which in turn may allow researchers to produce new materials based on the natural properties found in the beetles' coloring. In these beetles, the cuticle, which is just 10 millionths of a meter deep, has some 70 separate layers of chitin—a nitrogen-containing complex sugar that creates the hard outer skeletons of insects…"The detailed understanding of the mechanism used by the beetles to produce this metallic appearance opens the possibility to replicate the structure used to achieve it," Vargas says, "and thus produce materials that, for example, might look like gold or silver but are actually synthesized from organic media." This potentially could lead to new products or consumer electronics that can perfectly mimic the appearance of precious metals. Other products could be developed for architectural applications that require coatings with a metallic appearance. Vargas notes that in the solar industry, for example, chirped multilayer reflectors could be used as back layers supporting the active or light-absorbing medium, to improve the absorption of the back-reflected light.
http://www.osa.org/About_Osa/Newsroom/News_Releases/Releases/04.2011/MetallicBeetles.aspx
Beetle defence inspires University of Leeds research
The deadly defence system of a tiny African beetle has inspired award-winning research into a new generation of technology. A team of scientists from the University of Leeds have developed a technology which is based on the beetle's spray mechanism. They say it may lead to improvements in the automotive and health industries. The project took five years to develop from first concept to prototype. It said it could inspire new types of nebulisers, needle-free injections, fire extinguishers and powerful fuel injection systems. The university's professor of thermodynamics and combustion theory, Andy McIntosh, who led the research team, said: "Nobody had studied the beetle from a physics and engineering perspective as we did, and we didn't appreciate how much we would learn from it."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-11959381
Firefly Glow: Scientists Develop a Hydrogen Peroxide Probe Based on Firefly Luciferin
A unique new probe based on luciferase, the enzyme that gives fireflies their glow, enables researchers to monitor hydrogen peroxide levels in mice and thereby track the progression of infectious diseases or cancerous tumors without harming the animals or even having to shave their fur. "The fact that in nature fireflies use the luciferin enzyme to communicate by light inspired us to adapt this same strategy for pre-clinical diagnostics," Chang says.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110211153929.htm
The beetle cocoon that was manna for Moses
What the Israelites were gathering was the cocoon of the parasitic beetle Trehala manna from which trehalose gets its name… (Note: This is debatable as I discuss in my presentation “Bible Bugs” but, if true, it still does not negate God’s miraculous care of the children of Israel for forty years. Karl) Trehalose is now being used as a preservative for antibodies, vaccines, enzymes and blood coagulation factors. In 1985, Bruce Roser discovered that if trehalose was added to solutions of proteins like these, which were then dehydrated, the products could be stored at temperatures above 40C and when rehydrated were still active. This offers an alternative way of preserving medical supplies in Third World countries, where 90 per cent of vaccines are wasted through lack of refrigeration facilities. "After years of storage at room temperature, trehalose-dried antibodies worked well. Even notoriously unstable enzymes, such as DNA-modifying and restriction enzymes, worked after being stored for a month at 70C," says Mr Roser. Another use could be to store blood. "Fresh blood has a shelf life of 42 days, after which it must be disposed of. Trehalose-dried blood could mean an end to the critical blood shortages that are suffered by the health service."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-beetle-cocoon-that-was-
manna-for-moses-1306263.html
Bombardier Beetle, Power Venom, And Spray Technologies
The bombardier beetle is inspiring designers of engines, drug-delivery devices and fire extinguishers to improve spray technologies…This new technology is likely to be of interest to firms making drug-delivery systems as it could prove far more reliable than the mechanically-driven spring technology used in, for example, inhalers. It could also provide a much more energy-resourceful mechanism for fuel-injection in car engines and even lead to a new generation of fire extinguishers that can both produce either a fine mist or large droplets depending on what type of fire needs to be put out.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401170543.htm
Beetle masters optics
Stealing the beetles’ tricks may also help researchers design materials with desirable optical properties, comments Michael Barnes of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Although it’s too early to say what specific devices might be created with inspiration from the beetle shell, “the scientific goal is to understand the 'what' and the 'how' of micro- and nanoscale structures in natural systems,” he says, “so that we can design our own systems for specific purposes.”
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/45845/title/Beetle_masters_optics
Tufts University biologists unveil more mysteries of fireflies flash
Fireflies have long been used by scientists for health related research and to answer basic biological questions. Other recent research has used chemicals from fireflies to test bacteria for antibiotic resistance, giving hope for human health in the battle against drug-resistant tuberculosis in developing countries.
http://news.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-2/Tufts-University-biologists-unveil-
more-mysteries-of-fireflies-flash-5077-1/
Beetle shell inspires brilliant white paper
An obscure species of beetle has shown how brilliant white paper could be produced in a completely new way. A team from Imerys Minerals Ltd. and the University of Exeter has taken inspiration from the shell of the Cyphochilus beetle to understand how to produce a new kind of white coating for paper. This higher performance could result in lighter weight paper with a very high degree of whiteness. Lighter paper would also reduce transportation costs, simultaneously reducing the economic and environmental cost of manufacture.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-06/uoe-bsi061009.php
Baby Beetles Inspire Scientists To Build 'Mini Boat' Powered By Surface Tension
Inspired by the aquatic wriggling of beetle larvae, a University of Pittsburgh research team has designed a propulsion system that strips away paddles, sails, and motors and harnesses the energy within the water's surface.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090121144105.htm
Beetles used to study immunity
The immune system of the Tenebrio molitor beetle eliminates the great majority of bacteria infecting it within less than an hour, and then restricts the development of resistant bacteria thanks to the production of antimicrobial peptides over several days, thus preventing the emergence of resistant bacteria. Might it not be possible to copy this model when designing drug therapies that would reduce the development in pathogens of multidrug resistance to antibiotics?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081129095531.htm
A new species of darkling beetle larvae that degrade plastic
A joint research team consisting of Professor Hyung Joon Cha and a doctoral student Seongwook Woo of the Department of Chemical Engineering at POSTECH with Professor Intek Song of Andong National University has uncovered for the first time that the larvae of the beetle in the order Coleoptera (Plesiophthophthalmus davidis) can decompose polystyrene, a material that is tricky to decompose. By 2017, 8.3 billion tons of plastic waste were produced across the globe, of which less than 9 percent were recycled. Polystyrene, which accounts for about 6% of total plastic production, is known to be difficult to decompose due to its unique molecular structure. The research team found that the larvae of a darkling beetle indigenous to East Asia including the Korean peninsula can consume polystyrene and reduce both its mass and molecular weight… The study is also noteworthy in that the paper's first author, Seongwook Woo, who has been interested in insects since childhood and wished to make the world a better place through them… there is the chance that we could completely biodegrade polystyrene, which has been difficult to completely decompose, to ultimately contribute to solving the plastic waste problem that we face."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200720102054.htm
Exceptional catapulting jump mechanism in a tiny beetle could be applied in robotic limbs
Following their experiments, the scientists provided comprehensive insights into the mechanics behind the spectacular jump in flea beetles and reported, for the first time, the role of a structure found in the legs of these insects, known as “elastic plate”… The apparatus responsible for this exceptional jump is hidden inside the beetle’s hind legs and is relatively simple. It contains only three sclerotised parts and a few muscles. Yet, it is, in reality, a highly efficient “catapult”, able to propel the beetle at a distance hundreds of times its body length… In conclusion, the scientists note that the catapulting jump mechanism in flea beetles is so efficient and yet so simple that it might find an excellent use in robotics, as well as in engineering and industrial installations. In their research paper, they also propose a design of a bionic limb inspired by the studied beetles.
(Wasted homage to evolutionism omitted. Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.)
https://blog.pensoft.net/2020/02/25/exceptional-catapulting-jump-mechanism-in-a-tiny-beetle-could-be-applied-in-robotic-limbs/ Nature's Infrared Club
A handful of biological species can detect Infrared radiation. Envious of this evolution-honed (BWAH HAH HAH HAAAA!) sensory superpower, researchers with technological visions are working to emulate it…(The plan is) to develop a safe technology that would modify peoples' eyes to directly see IR without any bulky goggles or other optical gadgetry. It's the sort of superpower that brings soldiers and first-responders to the mind's eye. If the researchers succeed in delivering this human vision-enhancement technology, then people will join what always has been a rarefied and enviable club of the living kingdom that can see infrared (IR) radiation…The members of biology's IR club that perhaps have inspired the most technological ambition are collectively known as fire-loving or pyrophilous insects, mostly beetles. These insects show up by the thousands at forest fires as the conflagrations burn themselves out. These insects also have been assumed to follow the heat to fires at chemical plants and oil refineries, a less biologically profitable behavior that nonetheless provided some of the evidence of these insects' IR sensitivity…For their part, the adult beetles rely on their exquisitely sensitive IR sensors to locate forest fires many kilometers away…Each individual sensillum has a complex, fluid-filled interior pressure chamber that includes the dendritic end of a single sensory neuron feeding neurodata about IR in the environment into the insect's central nervous system…(T)he disaster prevention and response communities surely could benefit from better and widely deployable fire-detection systems, but Han has his sights on human beings with what he calls "the superpower of IR vision."…These should be safer and brighter" than the nanoparticles, Han said, noting that the technology could open the way to soldiers with IR-sensing retinas and IR-seeing first responders who might be able to spot survivors of collapsed buildings. More uplifting, however, was Han's musing about looking up at the night sky with eyes modified to see infrared radiation. "This could let us see a more beautiful view of the universe for us," he said.
(Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation. Evolutionism dogma noted.)
https://spie.org/news/photonics-focus/marapr-2020/natures-infrared-club?SSO=1
Specific immune response of beetles adapts to bacteria
After the researchers repeatedly confronted the insects and their progeny with bacteria, they observed that the beetles' immune system reacted more strongly after just a few generations. "Our study helps us to understand whether an immune system's specificity ability can adapt quickly to the conditions of repeated confrontation with pathogens," says Prof. Joachim Kurtz from Münster University, who is heading the study. The results might be able to help provide a better understanding of molecular processes that play a role in the innate immune memory in humans and that could perhaps be used for medical purposes.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190924104053.htm
(Karl’s note: This article pushed evolutionism so much it almost got posted at BWAH HAH HAH HAAAA!.)
The first bioluminescent click beetle discovered in Asia represents a new subfamily
A remarkable bioluminescent click beetle was discovered in the subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests in southwest China…(T) the new insect group may serve as a new model in the research of bioluminescence within the whole order of beetles.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190723104059.htm Ultra-white beetle scales hold secret to creating sustainable paint from recycled plastic
The structure of ultra-white beetle scales could hold the key to making bright-white sustainable paint using recycled plastic waste, scientists at the University of Sheffield have discovered. Cyphochilus beetle scales are one of the brightest whites in nature and their ultra-white appearance is created by the nanostructure in their tiny scales, as opposed to the use of pigment or dyes. Experts have now been able to recreate and improve on this structure in the lab using low cost materials -- via a technique which could be used as a sustainable alternative to titanium dioxide in white paint… "Having understood these structures we were able to take plastic and structure it in the same way. Ideally, we could recycle plastic waste that would normally be burnt or sent to landfill, structure it just like the beetle scale and then use it to make super white paint. This would make paint with a much lower carbon footprint and help tackle the challenge of recycling single-use plastics."... "This research answers long-standing questions about how the structure inside these scales actually form and we hope these lessons from nature will help inform the future of sustainable manufacturing for paint."
(Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation. The last one fits BWAH HAH HAH HAAAA!)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190829081405.htm
FIREFLIES INSPIRE NEW ENERGY-SAVING LED LIGHT BULBS
The new type of LED light bulb could one day light homes while reducing power bills…“LED light bulbs play a key role in clean energy,” says Stuart (Shizhuo) Yin, professor of electrical engineering at Penn State…One of the major concerns is how to improve the so-called light extraction efficiency of the LEDs. Our research focuses on how to get light out of the LED.” Fireflies and LEDs face similar challenges in releasing the light they produce because the light can reflect backwards and get lost. One solution for LEDs is to texture the surface with microstructures—microscopic projections—that allow more light to escape. In most LEDs these projections are symmetrical, with identical slopes on each side. Fireflies’ lanterns also have these microstructures, but with asymmetric sides that slant at different angles, giving a lopsided appearance… After the researchers used computer-based simulations to show that the asymmetric surface could theoretically improve light extraction, they next demonstrated this experimentally. Using nanoscale 3D printing, the team created symmetric and asymmetric surfaces and measured the amount of light emitted. As expected, the asymmetric surface allowed the release of more light.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-48152165/how-fireflies-inspired-energy-efficient-lights
Common beetle's gut microbiome benefits forests, holds promise for bioenergy
Insects are critical contributors to ecosystem functioning… While many insects are infamous for wreaking havoc wherever they roam, many thousands of species go quietly about their business, providing important services essential to healthy ecosystems using the innovative biochemistry of their microbiomes… "We found that the beetle's gut is structured to allow unique microbial communities to coexist, allowing each to perform the distinct specific metabolic processes needed to efficiently extract energy from wood…The energy derived from the wood allows the beetle to sustain itself and its offspring on an otherwise very poor diet."… An adult passalid burrows its one-inch body through decayed wood that has been pre-processed by fungi, speeding up wood decomposition through its feeding activity and making the wood and carbon accessible for other organisms in the ecosystem. Passalid colonies may have as many as seven adults that can consume over four times their weight in wood per day. This wood passes through the beetle's complex digestive tract… This beetle and its microbes have worked out what scientists around the world are hurrying to optimize--how to efficiently turn woody plant biomass into biofuels and bioproducts."
But how? "We brought together a team of experts and used advanced molecular biology tools, together with spectrometry and tiny sensors to discover that the beetle's gut is made of up specialized compartments, each with a distinct microbiome that work together almost like a factory production line, using unique biochemistry to turn the wood into food and fuel..."The key innovation that [nature-NOT] God has provided here is a way to combine biochemical processes that are otherwise incompatible."… Some processes for deconstructing lignin require oxygen while others, like fermentation, which provides the beetle's energy source, need an oxygen-free environment. So how does the beetle solve this?
"It turns out that the beetle's gut architecture, such as the length and thickness of its gut walls, [has evolved-NOT] was designed to suit its microbiome so that specific metabolic processes are favored in different gut regions."… So what's next? Although [nature-NOT] God leads the way, we can learn from how beetles compartmentalize biochemistry along a production line, according to Ceja-Navarro, and engineer artificial systems to produce bioproducts by mimicking the properties and functions of systems like this beetle gut and its microbiome.
(Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation. Evolutionism dogma noted.)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190311125148.htm
Material that shields beetle from being burned by its own weapons, holds promise
Carabid beetles produce caustic chemicals they spray to defend themselves against predators, and the compound that protects their bodies from these toxic substances shows promise for use in bioengineering or biomedical applications, according to Penn State researchers… "They persist and are often better than synthetics," she said. "Since it is impermeable, highly resistant to chemicals and flexible, resilin appears to be a strong candidate for a barrier material in applications where we need to keep two different chemicals away from each other but within the same environment." Another potential use is in tissue engineering, Rork added. Resilin has many similarities with elastin, a protein found in human bodies, and could be used to design new tissue for people with degenerative diseases or injuries.
(Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation. WARNING: The original article contains silly references to evolutionism.)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190225170231.htm
Hinge morphology of click beetle's latch mechanism
Aimy Wissa, assistant professor of mechanical science and engineering (MechSE) at Illinois, leads an interdisciplinary research team to study click beetles to inspire more agile robots…Ophelia Bolmin, a graduate student in Wissa's Bio-inspired Adaptive Morphology (BAM) Lab, presented novel synchrotron X-ray footage that showed the internal latch mechanism of the click beetle, and demonstrated for the first time to the scientific community how the hinge morphology and mechanics enable this unique clicking mechanism… Rather minimal research had been performed on the click beetle's click mechanism in the past, and the Illinois team is the first to explore the insect within the field of bio-inspiration -- using inspiration from nature for innovative engineered designs.
(Red bold font added to show the hypocrisy of True Believers in Evolutionism and the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation.)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190218094008.htm
Blister Beetles
They are known as ‘Blister beetles’ because they secrete cantharidin, a poisonous chemical causing blistering of the skin and painful swelling. Cantharidin is used medically to remove warts and is collected for this purpose from species of the genera Mylabris and Lytta…
https://animalcorner.co.uk/animals/blister-beetle/
How beetle larvae thrive on carrion
The burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides buries the cadavers of small animals to use them as a food source for its offspring. However, the carcass is susceptible to microbial decomposition. Researchers show that the beetles replace harmful microorganisms with their own beneficial gut symbionts, thus turning a carcass into a nursery with a microbial community that even promotes larval growth… "Our study shows how insects can modify their habitats by culturing their symbionts both in their guts as well as outside on a breeding resource to increase fitness. The burying beetle is a fascinating example of symbiont-enabled exploitation of challenging resources… The identified yeasts will now be studied in more detail, especially their role in detoxifying putrefaction products and (pre)digesting carrion to benefit the beetle larvae. "Since the microbiome transmitted by the beetles suppressed the growth of potentially harmful and toxin-producing bacteria and fungi, it is worthwhile to explore potential antimicrobials more closely, because they could also become relevant for medical applications."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181015150646.htm
New color-generation mechanism discovered in 'rainbow' weevil
Researchers from Yale-NUS College and the University of Fribourg in Switzerland have discovered a novel colour-generation mechanism in nature, which if harnessed, has the potential to create cosmetics and paints with purer and more vivid hues, screen displays that project the same true image when viewed from any angle, and even reduce the signal loss in optical fibres…”The ultimate aim of research in this field is to figure out how the weevil self-assembles these structures, because with our current technology we are unable to do so," Dr Saranathan said. "The ability to produce these structures, which are able to provide a high colour fidelity regardless of the angle you view it from, will have applications in any industry which deals with colour production. We can use these structures in cosmetics and other pigmentations to ensure high-fidelity hues, or in digital displays in your phone or tablet which will allow you to view it from any angle and see the same true image without any colour distortion. We can even use them to make reflective cladding for optical fibres to minimise signal loss during transmission."
(Red bold font added to show the FACT that Evolutionists Tacitly Admit Creation and why evolutionism is worthy of a loud BWAH HAH HAH HAAAA!.)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180911095905.htm
Lateral gene transfer enables chemical protection of beetles against antagonistic fungi
Like all other living organisms, animals face the challenge of fending off enemies. Using chemical weaponry can be an effective strategy to stay alive. Instead of taking over this task themselves, many marine and terrestrial animals associate with microbial symbionts that can provide such protection. An international team of researchers…discovered that bacteria associated to Lagria villosa beetles can produce an antifungal substance very similar to one found in tunicates living in the marine environment…These findings also underscore the value of defensive symbionts for the discovery of compounds with antimicrobial properties of potential use for humans.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180718104754.htm
How antifreeze proteins stop ice cold
How do insects survive harsh northern winters? Unlike mammals, they don't have thick coats of fur to keep warm. But they do have antifreeze. Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) prevent ice from forming and spreading inside their bodies. The existence of these AFPs has been known for decades, but the mechanisms governing this unique survival technique have proven difficult to determine…AFPs prevent water from freezing by surrounding and quickly binding to small ice crystals, where water has already managed to order itself into an ice lattice. Left unattended, these crystals would otherwise act as seeds and continue to spread their ordering to neighboring water molecules…Focusing on the AFP of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor ( TmAFP), the study aimed to test this hypothesis through theoretical methods at different resolutions of space and time…The findings can lend insight to studies of ice nucleating proteins in the atmosphere, which perform the opposite task and play a role in forming ice crystals in clouds…There's widespread interest in learning to mimic the antifreeze mechanism of AFPs, she adds, with applications from organ preservation to plane de-icing. "There's a big potential market for antifreeze based on the same mechanism -- but if you don't understand the mechanism it's difficult to define and optimize molecules."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180709152709.htm
Why some beetles like alcohol
Unlike human farmers, the insects seem to have had no problem with weed fungi becoming resistant to the alcohol. It is not only the agricultural skill of the Ambrosia beetles that inspires Biedermann. "They show social behavior," says the ecologist. Beetles share the work of cultivating their fungal gardens: some clean the tunnel systems that are being eaten into the wood, others clear the dirt from the nest and clean their fellow workers -- always with the aim of optimizing the symbiosis of beetle and fungus. This system is so sophisticated that when they colonize new trees, the animals bring along the fungal spores in their own spore organs. New fungal gardens grow from the "transplanted" spores."These characteristics are also of high potential interest from a biotechnological point of view, since they might be transferrable to other systems when better understood," adds Benz. Maybe humanity has something to learn from the bark beetle after all.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180409185323.htm
Ultra-white coating modelled on beetle scales
Researchers have developed a super-thin, non-toxic, lightweight, edible ultra-white coating that could be used to make brighter paints and coatings, for use in the cosmetic, food or pharmaceutical industries. The material -- which is 20 times whiter than paper -- is made from non-toxic cellulose and achieves such bright whiteness by mimicking the structure of the ultra-thin scales of certain types of beetle… Like the beetle scales, the cellulose membranes are extremely thin: just a few millionths of a metre thick, although the researchers say that even thinner membranes could be produced by further optimising their fabrication process. The membranes scatter light 20 to 30 times more efficiently than paper, and could be used to produce next-generation efficient bright sustainable and biocompatible white materials.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180313084222.htm
Fire-chasing beetles sense infrared radiation from fires hundreds of kilometres away
While most animals flee from fires, fire-chaser beetles ( Melanophila) head towards a blaze. They can only lay their eggs in freshly burnt trees, whose defences have been scorched away…In the 1960s, scientists showed that the sensors detect the infrared radiation given off by hot objects. Each one is filled with liquid, which expands when it absorbs infrared radiation. This motion stimulates sensory cells and tells the beetle that there’s heat afoot…Their detectors must be extraordinarily sensitive for they have arrived at sites that are dozens of miles from the nearest forests…But to truly test the beetle’s infrared-detecting powers, scientists will have to measure how the pits respond to infrared radiation in careful lab experiments. If the measurements bear out, perhaps studying these exquisitely sensitive natural sensors might inspire the designs of similarly powerful man-made ones.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/05/27/fire-chasing-beetles-sense-infrared-radiation-from-fires-hundreds-of-kilometres-away/#.Wot0vkxFxOw
Penetration mechanics of a beetle intromittent organ with bending stiffness gradient and a soft tip
Sometimes these elongated structures are extraordinarily long, a couple of times the body size. However, irrespective of the length of these structures, the animals can precisely control their movement to fulfill their original functions. Insertion and/or excavation of these hyper-elongated structures in nature are mechanically challenging…Moreover, insertion of these structures is a highlighted topic in biomimetics and engineering fields with special focus on the prevention of buckling failure under compressive stress for medical applications and in the medical field in terms of penile impotence or erectile dysfunction…In insects, the entire intromittent organ (An intromittent organ is a general term for an external organ of a male organism that is specialized to deliver sperm during copulation. WikiPedia) is usually stored in the abdomen. Therefore, males have to move the elongated structure for rather long distances to insert the elongated structure from their abdomen into a female duct, which is usually called spermatheca (or spermathecal duct). Although a tunnel-like structure, into which the elongated structure penetrates, is situated in the female, the correspondingly long female structures are convoluted and/or highly coiled and penetration does not appear to be a very simple task for males…Considering certain functional similarity between the biological system of the beetle penis and medical catheters in terms of insertions of long and thin ducts into narrow spaces, our results could provide us with some hints for further technical improvement of existing catheters…To apply the design principles of the studied biological system for catheters, we have to understand our biological system in further detail in the future.
http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/12/eaao5469.full
Beetle Penises May Hold Clues For Better Medical Devices
The industry has long struggled with an engineering problem: How do you keep a very thin tube flexible enough to snake into hard-to-reach places but rigid enough to withstand insertion? Plus, there is the problem of buckling — when a thin tube crimps so fluids can't flow through it anymore. Enter the penis of the thistle tortoise beetle. It has a few things going for it, from a scientific perspective…"The penis looks very simple," Matsumura says. "It is actually complicated."… And that, the authors hope, could help advance catheter design. For example, a study published earlier this year on catheter use in anesthesia noted that one of the main causes of complications is "inaccurate catheter tip location." Another recent study of catheter use in heart surgery on children found that the majority of complications were caused by "line malfunctions."
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/12/20/571934373/beetle-penises-may-hold-clues-for-better-medical-devices
Click beetles inspire design of self-righting robots
Robots perform many tasks that humans can't or don't want to perform, getting around on intricately designed wheels and limbs. If they tip over, however, they are rendered almost useless. A team of University of Illinois mechanical engineers and entomologists are looking to click beetles, who can right themselves without the use of their legs, to solve this robotics challenge…The group has already built several prototypes of a hinge-like, spring-loaded device that will eventually be incorporated into a robot, the researchers said. "This study is a two-way street -- engineers are informing the biologists and vice versa," Wissa said. "We look forward to seeing where this research will take us and are very proud of the attention it received at the BIOMinnovate Challenge expo."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170925133006.htm
Unfolding the folding mechanism of ladybug wings
The study's findings, which help explain how the wings can maintain their strength and rigidity during flight, while becoming elastic for compact folding and storage on the ground, provide hints for the innovative design of a wide range of deployable structures, from satellite antennas to microscopic medical instruments to articles for daily use like umbrellas and fans…"The ladybugs' technique for achieving complex folding is quite fascinating and novel, particularly for researchers in the fields of robotics, mechanics, aerospace and mechanical engineering," says Saito. Understanding how ladybugs can achieve the conflicting requirements of fortifying their hindwings with strength and stability for flight, while also making them pliable for folding and compact storage after landing has significant implications for engineering science.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170515150714.htm
Scientists decipher the nanoscale architecture of a beetle's shell
Beetles wear a body armor that should weigh them down -- think medieval knights and turtles. In fact, those hard shells protecting delicate wings are surprisingly light, allowing even flight. Better understanding the structure and properties of beetle exoskeletons could help scientists engineer lighter, stronger materials. Such materials could, for example, reduce gas-guzzling drag in vehicles and airplanes and reduce the weight of armor, lightening the load for the 21st-century knight.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170222145802.htm
Could these cyborg beetles save lives?
Scientists in Singapore have created cyborg beetles that they believe could help save lives. The research, which is not without controversy, is looking at whether the bugs could be used to find people after major disasters.
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36828515
Firefly Light Helps Destroy Cancer Cells; Researchers Find That The Bioluminescence Effects Of Fireflies May Kill Cancer Cells From Within
In a new study, researchers from London inserted the firefly gene that activates bioluminescent light into modified cancer cells, hoping to set off a chain of events that has a proven track record at fighting the disease. This light source, known as Luciferin, caused the modified cancer cells to glow much like it does with the firefly. When a photosensitizing agent was added, the combination proved lethal… Already, a separate team has shown that it's feasible to deliver the luciferase gene to prostate cancer cells. As a mobile light source, the firefly gene may have far-reaching applications. "Luciferase could be transferred to primary tumors, and from there it could migrate to cancer cells that spread."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030421084227.htm
When dung beetles dance, they photograph the firmament
Researchers have now taken a new step in understanding the existence of these unique beetles: when the beetles dance on top of a ball of dung, they simultaneously take a photograph -- a snapshot -- of how celestial bodies are positioned…(T)he results of how dung beetles find their way in the world can become significant in the development of navigation systems in driverless vehicles.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160512125422.htm
Scientists turn to fireflies to improve OLED efficiency
Many insects, birds, fish, and amphibians emit light as a way to communicate with each other, but the species that produces light most efficiently is the firefly. In a new study, researchers have investigated the optical properties of the firefly's light-emitting cuticle, which is not smooth like most human-made lights, but instead is patterned with tiny hierarchical structures. Inspired by these features, the researchers replicated the patterns to create a bioinspired organic light-emitting diode (OLED), resulting in a 60% increase in the light extraction efficiency and 15% wider angle of illumination…The researchers created precise molds of these structures to use as the optical layer of an OLED. Consequently, the same features that help fireflies communicate their courtship signals have turned out to also contribute to improving advanced lighting and display applications. "Our breakthrough technology is the large-scale fabrication of inclined microstructures and highly ordered nanostructures on each inclined microstructure," Jeong said. "We strongly believe that these biologically inspired OLEDs open a new paradigm for engineering biomimetics for lighting applications."
http://phys.org/news/2016-04-scientists-fireflies-oled-efficiency.html
The Scent of Love: Decomposition and Male Sex Pheromones
The life cycle and sequence of arrival of these flies and beetles is so predictable that it can be used by forensic scientists to estimate time of death.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120813203024.htm
Also see Does God Think Insects are Good?, Why Insects Exist, and Fantastic Flight. Other articles are: Hi-tech Butterflies, Astonishing Acrobatics—Dragonflies, Dragonfly Flight and The Designer, Dragon Flies: Marvelous Flying Machines, Cold Light, The Steady Gaze of Flies: An Engineering Marvel, Ear Now: An Incredible Design in a Tiny Fly is Inspiring Engineers, Scientists Finally Copy Creator’s Super-Rubber, A Sweet Revelation, Science Copies Beetle’s Sprayer, Bombardier Idea, and The Amazing Jewel Beetle. Check the LINKS page for others.
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