Diabolical Ironclad Beetle: Unlocking the secrets of its super-tough design

The diabolical ironclad beetle is so tough, it can survive getting run over by a car applying ~100 newtons of force. Engineers from Purdue University and UC-Irvine teamed up to unlock the beetle’s secrets. Their research, featured in a paper published in Nature, revealed that the beetle’s super-toughness lies in its two armorlike “elytron” that meet at a line, called a suture, running the length of the abdomen. Full story: Featured Purdue Engineer: Pablo Zavattieri, Jerry M. and Lynda T. Engelhardt