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Fireflies’ Protective ‘Musical Armor’ Against Bats
They sure know how to put on a show at nights – fireflies are striking with their glow-in-the-dark feature. But have you ever stopped and wondered how these glowing insects defend themselves against predators? A trailblazing TAU study reveals that fireflies produce strong ultrasonic sounds that may potentially work to deter bats, serving as a ‘musical armor’ against these predators. The discovery of such a ‘musical battle’ between fireflies and bats may pave the way for further research, and the discovery of a new defense mechanism developed by animals against their predators.
According to the study, the fireflies produce strong ultrasonic sounds – soundwaves that the human ear, and more importantly the fireflies themselves, cannot detect. The researchers hypothesize that these sounds are, in fact, meant for the ears of the bats, keeping them away from the poisonous fireflies, and thereby serving as a k
23rd April 2021 9:50 am 23rd April 2021 9:57 am
Engineers at Leeds University and Imperial College London have developed a load-bearing material that mimics human cartilage.
Researchers believe the new material could be used for a wide range of engineering purposes, including the potential for a new generation of lightweight bearings.
Cartilage a soft fibrous tissue found around joints that provides protection from compressive loading generated by walking, running or lifting is a bi-phasic porous material that exists in solid and fluid phases. It switches to its fluid phase by absorbing synovial fluid, a viscous substance produced in the joints.
This fluid lubricates the joints and when held in the porous matrix of the cartilage also provides a hydroelastic cushion against compressive forces. Because cartilage is porous, the synovial fluid eventually drains away and helps dissipate the energy forces travelling through the body, which protects joints from wear and t
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IMAGE: The image shows the interface between the hydrogel (left-hand side) and the PDMS (on the right-hand side). The images was taken at 100,000 times magnification. Credit: University of Leeds. view more
Credit: University of Leeds
Inspired by nature, the researchers developing a new load-bearing material
Engineers have developed a new material that mimics human cartilage - the body s shock absorbing and lubrication system, and it could herald the development of a new generation of lightweight bearings.
Cartilage is a soft fibrous tissue found around joints which provides protection from the compressive loading generated by walking, running or lifting. It also provides a protective, lubricating layer allowing bones to pass over one another in a frictionless way. For years, scientists have been trying to create a synthetic material with the properties of cartilage.
New Study Reveals Fireflies Have Musical Armor Protecting Them Against Predators natureworldnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from natureworldnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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IMAGE: New study reveals: fireflies produce strong ultrasonic sounds that might deter bats, potentially serving as a kind of musical armor against these predators. view more
Credit: BRANDON ALMS
A new study at Tel Aviv University reveals a possible defense mechanism developed by fireflies for protection against bats that might prey on them. According to the study, fireflies produce strong ultrasonic sounds - soundwaves that the human ear, and more importantly the fireflies themselves, cannot detect. The researchers hypothesize that these sounds are meant for the ears of bats, keeping them away from the poisonous fireflies, and thereby serving as a kind of musical armor . The study was led by Prof. Yossi Yovel, Head of the Sagol School of Neuroscience, and a member of the School of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Zoology at the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences. It was conducted in collaboration with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technolog