Scorpions' tail joints both bend and twist at once Scorpion tails can simultaneously twist and bend thanks to unusual joints, which could inspire new kinds of robots. A detailed analysis of the scorpion tail reveals that its joints move simultaneously in ways similar to both a door hinge and a rotating wheel, providing for highly precise sting strikes, all the while allowing body tissues to run through its hollow structure. "Nobody has ever seen a joint like this before, so it's really fascinating," says Alice Günther at the University of Rostock in Germany. After investigating dozens of scorpions representing 16 species, Günther and her colleagues ran microscopic computed tomography (CT) scans of the five tail segments of a laboratory-bred adult female Mesobuthus gibbosus scorpion, a species that has tails typical of the vast majority of scorpions. They used the images to create 3D digital and print models that provided more practical views of the arachnid's tail joint, which evolved into its current form 400 million years ago.

Scientists have created a robotic fabric that stiffens and relaxes in response to changes in temperature, which could be used in emergency situations. The material, developed at Yale University in the US, is equipped with a system of heat sensors and threads that stiffen to change the fabric's shape. Under heat changes, it can bend and twist to transform itself into adaptable clothing, shape-changing machinery and self-erecting shelters. Video footage shows the material going from a flat, ordinary fabric to a load-bearing structure supporting a weight, a model airplane with flexible wings and a wearable robotic tourniquet that activates in response to damage. 'We believe this technology can be leveraged to create self-deploying tents, robotic parachutes, and assistive clothing,' said Professor Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio at Yale University.