Insects are Capable of Repairing Their 'Bones' Just Like Humans

Researchers from the Trinity College Dublin just made an interesting breakthrough regarding insects and how they have internal bandages to repair their broken "bones."

According to Phys.org, insects have a sort of DIY cuticle repair kit that allows them to go on about their daily lives even when they are injured. For instance, when an insect cuts one of its legs, it repairs itself by having a patch of cuticle laid down underneath its affected area. This then seals the wound and provides the necessary structural strength to heal the animal.

The study was published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, and is said to be the first research to discuss the biomechanic abilities of arthropods in repairing themselves.

The lead author of the study, David Taylor, said that insects, unlike humans, are not capable of completely repairing their "bones" but their own way of healing themselves via their cuticle bandages is a pretty good alternative. The insects are able to restore most of their strength, so they can still use their limbs for other activities to go about their days.

One of the team members, Eoin Parle noted that even though people already know that insects also had the ability to bleed when cut, nobody really looked into how well their blood clotting abilities are able to repair their bodies - until now.

Among the insects that the team studied are the locusts. During their study, the team found that adult desert locusts are able to repair their limbs to approximately two-thirds of their original strength - enough to help them survive in the wild.

The locust cuticle was also found to be one of the toughest natural materials. This discovery, together with the insects' interesting exoskeletons and amazing abilities to walk on different kinds of surfaces, co-writer Jan-Henning Dirks also said in his website that this discovery may lead to new technology.

How long do you think until Locust-Man arrives in the next Marvel movie?