20 MOMENTUM • VIRGINIA TECH MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
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 . They discovered that the structures providing mechanical support are also key players in optical framework . Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
The team has come together to answer questions of how the exoskeletal material achieves remarkable mechanical and optical functions at the same time , and which function dominates the structural design at nano- and micrometer scales .
Their focus was narrowed to a specific species : the flower beetle . This small scarab beetle lives in the rainforests of southeast Asia and is noted for displaying brilliant colors , ranging from deep blue to green , to orange and to red . These colorful shells are composed of two main layers that combine for protection , communication , and hydration .