Friday, July 19, 2013

Nature uses screws!

THIS IS AWESOME*

New research has found that humans were not the first species to invent the nut and bolt mechanism for screwing one thing to another: weevils do the same to attach their legs to their bodies instead of using the more familiar ball-and-socket joint.  ~ from www.PhysOrg.com

This is so amazing that you have to see the photos.  

These are weevils.

 The article explains that scientist discovered that the top section of weevils' legs are attached to the body via the trochanter, which screws into another small body part called the coxa, which is equivalent to a hip. The inside of the coxa and external surface of the trochanter features threads like those found in nuts and bolts (shocking!)


The muscles turn the legs on the screw threads, an arrangement that allows the weevils to twist their hind and middle legs through 130 degrees, and their front legs through 90 degrees. The joint is more difficult to dislocate than a ball-and-socket joint.

Both parts of the weevil's hip joint fit like screw and nut which increases the mobility of the leg.

AMAZING!

* All of the info and photos were taken from the article at www.PhysOrg.com from July of 2011 which we highly recommend.

CHECK IT OUT!

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