Only four times in the course of evolution have members of the animal kingdom managed to conquer the air. Insects were the first, taking off more than 400 million years ago. Dinosaurs followed only 100 million years later, then birds and finally the only flying mammals, bats.
Bombardier beetles have several defensive glands in their abdomen containing chemicals that they can mix when threatened. These react with each other and finally explode. The chemicals shoot towards the attacker at 10 m/s, reaching temperatures of up to 100 °C.
Spiders are true insect eaters. Every year they eat billions of insects and other prey. Researchers at the University of Basel calculated that spiders consume between 400 and 800 million tonnes of insects each year – more than all of humanity eats in fish and meat.
Between their claws flies have adhesive pads that let them land and walk even on glass, thanks to van der Waals and capillary forces. Researchers have now also discovered taste sensors on these pads – so flies taste things the moment they land.
Why you shouldn’t touch butterflies – and why it still won’t kill them.
