Page 144 - Design in Nature

142 DESIGN IN NATURE

Chitin: Perfect Cladding Material
Insects are the most populous creatures on earth, which is largely
because their bodies are very resistant to many adverse conditions. One of
the factors in their resistance is the chitin substance that forms their
skeletons.
Chitin is extremely lightweight and

thin. Insects never face hardship
maintaining it. Although it wraps the body
externally, it is sturdy enough to act as a
skeleton. At the same time, it is
outstandingly flexible. It can be moved by
means of muscles attached to it from
inside the body. This not only improves

the rapid movement of the insects but also
decreases the impact of external blows. It
is waterproof because of a special exterior
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coating, which doesn’t allow seepage of any body fluids. It is unaffected by
heat or radiation. Most of the time, its colour fits the surroundings perfectly.
Sometimes it signals warnings through bright colours.
What would happen if such a substance as chitin were used in aircraft
and space ships? In fact, this is the dream of many scientists.

The Abdomen of the
Desert Scorpion

The abdomens of insects are
created to different designs
depending on body structure
and activity. For example, the
desert scorpion is covered
with highly sensitive organs
called rake, with which
scorpions sense the hardness
of the soil and determine the
most appropriate place to lay
eggs.