Time to take down the Christmas lights… ack! They’re flying!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
The Australian Christmas beetle sparkles like a living ornament. But how?!
Laura Ospina-Rozo and team studied several Australian beetle species.
They noticed that beetles from hotter, sunnier regions reflect more visible light. That extra reflection may help keep them cooler.
But other beetles are even fancier. Their shells contain microscopic spirals and stacked layers. These tiny structures scatter light to create shimmering effects, AND they keep the beetles cool.
Nature’s lesson? Color isn’t just decoration. It can help animals manage temperature. This may inspire future materials that reflect heat better.
Talk about brilliant beetle tech!
Reference: Ospina-Rozo, L., Medina, I., Hugall, A. et al. Polarization and reflectance are linked to climate, size and mechanistic constraints in a group of scarab beetles. Sci Rep 14, 29349 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80325-1