In the world there are more than 4,000 species of ladybugs. These amazing beetles in different countries are named differently, but what unites all of these names and their relation to cattle. The Serbs are God’s sheep, and in France, and all God’s chicken. Scientists for many years did not give rest, like a ladybug manages to hide the wings under his bright armor, because they scale much larger than the size of the calf of the insect. And finally, Japanese researchers have solved the riddle plaguing them.
Of course, scientists already knew that the wings of the ladybugs up several times, like an origami. However, how exactly she manages to do this – the science was quite clear. The mechanism of folding and unfolding of wings in this insect is triggered so quickly and clearly that the principle of its operation is very useful to scientists in creating, for example, innovative robots, satellites, or medical devices. After considerable research, the staff of the University of Tokyo under the guidance of Professor Kazuo Saito managed to understand the principle of operation of the wings of the ladybugs.
To do this, scientists went on a highly unusual step. It was decided to create artificial wings for the ladybugs, transplant them to her, and then with the help of computer tomography to understand how this mechanism works. Synthetic analogue of such wings in the laboratory to do was not so easy. After numerous experiments, they got it. The wings were created from a special gel that hardens under ultraviolet light. These implants allowed Japanese researchers to unravel the mystery of the insect.
As it turned out, the whole secret lies in the fact that expanding and collapsing of the wing ladybugs are based on hydraulics. The wing is permeated by vessels, some of which is on its edge. When folded, the vessels are clamped, so they accumulate elastic energy, instantly turning the wing as only the dorsal carapace is revealed. The wings contain no joints or joints that surprised many scientists.
Borrowing this technology from the ladybugs that scientists can bring a lot to the aviation and cosmonautics, and, not without irony, argue that the classical mechanism of the umbrellas, it’s time to upgrade a little. The results of their research, the Japanese have published in the American journal PNAS.
Japanese scientists have unraveled the secret of ladybugs
Sergey Grey