19 December 2022
Male mason wasps have no sting, but they have spines on their genitals that can cause a pricking pain, and these are effective at deterring some frogs from eating them
20 October 2022
A laser controlled by two cameras and a small computer running an AI model can be trained to target certain types of insect
23 August 2021
3D X-ray imaging and computer simulations suggest ants have developed a behavioural algorithm that allows them to excavate tunnels by using soil physics – the technique could eventually be harnessed to develop robotic mining machines
7 July 2021
A lubricant harvested from beetle legs reduces friction more effectively than Teflon. The wax-like material could be used in microrobotics and small prosthetics
8 June 2021
A Madagascar hissing cockroach fitted with a “backpack” computer and infrared camera could help search-and-rescue teams locate bodies in the aftermath of an earthquake
5 May 2021
A newly discovered species of ant from Ecuador has been named Strumigenys ayersthey, with a “-they” suffix used instead of traditional gendered Latin ones to celebrate gender diversity
