Insect Amazes Engineers           

   There are termites, cockroaches, grasshoppers, and mayflys. Then there is the earwig.

   We've never heard of this little nuisance, but mechanical engineers say its folding wings are superior to anything made by humans. 
 

earwig

   The earwig's elastic wing folds are flexible and self-folding. They lock into specific shapes, allowing the wings to extend and also rotate. 

   You can appreciate the earwig if you've ever tried to repack a tent or refold a map. Its wings have more folds than any other organism. 

   They expand to 10 times larger, allowing the insect to fly with stability, yet retract into a compact formation that allows the bug to tunnel underground. 

   Scientists envision artificial structures that mimic the insect's design. In Science magazine, they write of foldable electronics, solar sails for satellites or space probes that are unfurled after transportation.

   You can believe the earwig is a product of evolution if you want to. Not me.

       Jimmy