Biomimetic dew harvesters: What the desert beetle could teach us about improving drinking water collection
Monday, December 8, 2014 - 16:00
in Biology & Nature
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.