• About TC
  • Affiliate Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • TOS
  • Contact
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Techcratic
  • TC
  • AI
    Artificial Intelligence

    Implementing Machine Learning Pipelines with Apache Spark

    Artificial Intelligence

    Learn Power BI for Free This Week

    Artificial Intelligence

    Build GraphRAG applications using Amazon Bedrock Knowledge Bases

    Artificial Intelligence

    How to Use Deep Research Like a Pro

    Artificial Intelligence

    World-Consistent Video Diffusion With Explicit 3D Modeling

    Artificial Intelligence

    Deploy Amazon SageMaker Projects with Terraform Cloud

    Artificial Intelligence

    Data Science ETL Pipelines with DuckDB

    Artificial Intelligence

    New Amazon Bedrock Data Automation capabilities streamline video and audio analysis

    Artificial Intelligence

    Surprising Things You Can Do with Python’s csv Module

  • Crypto
    Willy Woo Predicts Bitcoin Market Cap Will Reach Global GDP Levels

    Willy Woo Predicts Bitcoin Market Cap Will Reach Global GDP Levels

    Meliuz Seeks Funding to Buy Nearly $80M Worth of Bitcoin

    Meliuz Seeks Funding to Buy Nearly $80M Worth of Bitcoin

    DeFi must return to its P2P origins.

    DeFi must return to its P2P origins.

    $286 Million Outflows Hit Bitcoin ETFs While Ether ETFs Celebrate 11th Day of Gains

    $286 Million Outflows Hit Bitcoin ETFs While Ether ETFs Celebrate 11th Day of Gains

    Russia’s Largest Bank Starts Issuing Bitcoin Bonds

    Russia’s Largest Bank Starts Issuing Bitcoin Bonds

    Insurers Eye Kidnap and Ransom Policies for Wealthy Crypto Holders

    Insurers Eye Kidnap and Ransom Policies for Wealthy Crypto Holders

    Bitcoin Bull Cycle is Over: CryptoQuant CEO

    Ethereum Foundation Lays Off R&D Staff, Restructures Under ‘Protocol’ Banner

    Meta Joins Microsoft, Amazon in Dismissing Bitcoin Treasury Despite Investor Push

    Meta Joins Microsoft, Amazon in Dismissing Bitcoin Treasury Despite Investor Push

    Strategy Unveils Stock IPO Plan to Fuel Relentless Bitcoin Expansion

    Strategy Unveils Stock IPO Plan to Fuel Relentless Bitcoin Expansion

  • Cybersecurity
    Cybersecurity

    Critical 10-Year-Old Roundcube Webmail Bug Allows Authenticated Users Run Malicious Code

    Cybersecurity

    Android Trojan Crocodilus Now Active in 8 Countries, Targeting Banks and Crypto Wallets

    Cybersecurity

    Microsoft and CrowdStrike Launch Shared Threat Actor Glossary to Cut Attribution Confusion

    Cybersecurity

    New Chrome Zero-Day Actively Exploited; Google Issues Emergency Out-of-Band Patch

    Cybersecurity

    Qualcomm Fixes 3 Zero-Days Used in Targeted Android Attacks via Adreno GPU

    Cybersecurity

    New Linux Flaws Allow Password Hash Theft via Core Dumps in Ubuntu, RHEL, Fedora

    Cybersecurity

    Czech Republic Blames China-Linked APT31 Hackers for 2022 Cyberattack

    Cybersecurity

    Microsoft OneDrive File Picker Flaw Grants Apps Full Cloud Access — Even When Uploading Just One File

    Cybersecurity

    251 Amazon-Hosted IPs Used in Exploit Scan Targeting ColdFusion, Struts, and Elasticsearch

  • Deals
    SAMSUNG 65-Inch Class QLED Q7F Series Samsung Vision AI Smart TV (2025 Model, 65Q7F)…

    SAMSUNG 65-Inch Class QLED Q7F Series Samsung Vision AI Smart TV (2025 Model, 65Q7F)…

    2025 for iPhone Magsafe Battery Pack, Ultra Slim Magnetic Power Bank Fast Charging,…

    2025 for iPhone Magsafe Battery Pack, Ultra Slim Magnetic Power Bank Fast Charging,…

    Patriot Memory P310 240GB Internal SSD – NVMe PCIe M.2 Gen3 x 4 – Low-Power Consumption…

    Patriot Memory P310 240GB Internal SSD – NVMe PCIe M.2 Gen3 x 4 – Low-Power Consumption…

    KEXIN 64GB Micro SD Card 10 Pack with SD Adapter microSDXC Memory Card UHS-I C10 U1…

    KEXIN 64GB Micro SD Card 10 Pack with SD Adapter microSDXC Memory Card UHS-I C10 U1…

    Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3600MHz C16 Desktop Memory (High Performance…

    Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3600MHz C16 Desktop Memory (High Performance…

    Shintenchi Gaming Chair, Computer Chair with Footrest and Lumbar Support,Video Game…

    Shintenchi Gaming Chair, Computer Chair with Footrest and Lumbar Support,Video Game…

    Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – Xbox Series X/Xbox One

    Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – Xbox Series X/Xbox One

    Rebel Nemesis: Cooperative Sci-Fi Horror Strategy Board Game for 1-5 Players

    Rebel Nemesis: Cooperative Sci-Fi Horror Strategy Board Game for 1-5 Players

    Dutch Blitz – Fast Paced Card Game for 2-4 Players Ages 8+, 160 Cards, Easy to Learn

    Dutch Blitz – Fast Paced Card Game for 2-4 Players Ages 8+, 160 Cards, Easy to Learn

  • Gaming
    Why GTA 6's Second Trailer Hasn't Been Announced, According to Ex-Rockstar Dev – IGN Daily

    Why GTA 6's Second Trailer Hasn't Been Announced, According to Ex-Rockstar Dev – IGN Daily

    GTA 6 Fans Believe There Is A SECRET Message In Rockstar Games NEW Trailer! (Grand Theft Auto 6)

    GTA 6 Fans Believe There Is A SECRET Message In Rockstar Games NEW Trailer! (Grand Theft Auto 6)

    GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK – Song of the Sands Gameplay Walkthrough [PS5 4K 60FPS] No Commentary

    GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK – Song of the Sands Gameplay Walkthrough [PS5 4K 60FPS] No Commentary

    God Of War Ragnarok should have been better… (Review)

    God Of War Ragnarok should have been better… (Review)

    REDRAGON S101 GAMING KEYBOARD

    adidas x Minecraft | Minecraft

    Forspoken Review – A Beautiful and Cruel Open-World of Athia (Action RPG)

    Forspoken Review – A Beautiful and Cruel Open-World of Athia (Action RPG)

    FNAF trailer 2 and Mario Wonder Direct thoughts – two great second trailers

    FNAF trailer 2 and Mario Wonder Direct thoughts – two great second trailers

    REDRAGON S101 GAMING KEYBOARD

    Nvidia’s app now has a light mode if you want to be flash banged

    Elden RIng Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay walkthrough Part 32 Scadutree Blessing fragments 13

    Elden RIng Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay walkthrough Part 32 Scadutree Blessing fragments 13

  • Tesla
    3-Ton Scissor Jack Kit for Tesla Model Y 3 S X with Rubber Jack Pad, Car Spare Tire…

    3-Ton Scissor Jack Kit for Tesla Model Y 3 S X with Rubber Jack Pad, Car Spare Tire…

    Tinlucys Armrest Cover Designed for Tesla Model 3/Y 2017-2023 2024,Leather Center…

    Tinlucys Armrest Cover Designed for Tesla Model 3/Y 2017-2023 2024,Leather Center…

    Tesla will pause part of new Model Y production for 3 weeks for upgrades, report says

    Tesla (TSLA) sales continue to crash in Europe as it clings to a fluke in Norway

    Gven- The Original Patented Car Eyes Windshield Sun Shade 2025 Windshield Cover…

    Gven- The Original Patented Car Eyes Windshield Sun Shade 2025 Windshield Cover…

    Tesla announces production of 1 millionth Powerwall with some shady math

    Bling Bling Rhinestone Logo Emblems for Tesla Model 3 Highland 2024, 7 Pcs Emblem…

    Bling Bling Rhinestone Logo Emblems for Tesla Model 3 Highland 2024, 7 Pcs Emblem…

    Car Seat Back Organizer, Large Capacity Foldable Car Seat Back Hanging Bag with 3 Extra…

    Car Seat Back Organizer, Large Capacity Foldable Car Seat Back Hanging Bag with 3 Extra…

    Tesla is forced to remove 64 Superchargers on NJ Turnpike, Musk claims ‘corruption’

    Tesla is forced to remove 64 Superchargers on NJ Turnpike, Musk claims ‘corruption’

    3 PCS Floor Mats for Tesla Model Y 5 Seater and 7 Seater 2024 2023 2022 2021,for Tesla…

    3 PCS Floor Mats for Tesla Model Y 5 Seater and 7 Seater 2024 2023 2022 2021,for Tesla…

  • UFO
    Funny Birthday Card for Him Her, Alien Abduction Birthday Card, Sci-Fi Birthday Gift, UFO Take Our Leaders

    Funny Birthday Card for Him Her, Alien Abduction Birthday Card, Sci-Fi Birthday Gift, UFO Take Our Leaders

    Merging Dimensions – New Edition

    Merging Dimensions – New Edition

    Marvel Avengers Iron Man IR UFO Ball Helicopter

    Marvel Avengers Iron Man IR UFO Ball Helicopter

    The Craziest Music Conspiracy Theories

    The Craziest Music Conspiracy Theories

    ‘Unidentified Flying Object’ #fishart #UFO #colorful #watercolorpainting #watercolor #art #painting

    ‘Unidentified Flying Object’ #fishart #UFO #colorful #watercolorpainting #watercolor #art #painting

    Men’s UFO Bigfoot Sasquatch Baseball Caps Funny Adjustable Vintage Dad Hats

    Men’s UFO Bigfoot Sasquatch Baseball Caps Funny Adjustable Vintage Dad Hats

    Evolution of Soyuz Spacecraft 1967-2016

    Evolution of Soyuz Spacecraft 1967-2016

    I Tripped on Acid from Outer Space

    I Tripped on Acid from Outer Space

    UAP sightings near nuclear sites

    UAP sightings near nuclear sites

No Result
View All Result
  • TC
  • AI
    Artificial Intelligence

    Implementing Machine Learning Pipelines with Apache Spark

    Artificial Intelligence

    Learn Power BI for Free This Week

    Artificial Intelligence

    Build GraphRAG applications using Amazon Bedrock Knowledge Bases

    Artificial Intelligence

    How to Use Deep Research Like a Pro

    Artificial Intelligence

    World-Consistent Video Diffusion With Explicit 3D Modeling

    Artificial Intelligence

    Deploy Amazon SageMaker Projects with Terraform Cloud

    Artificial Intelligence

    Data Science ETL Pipelines with DuckDB

    Artificial Intelligence

    New Amazon Bedrock Data Automation capabilities streamline video and audio analysis

    Artificial Intelligence

    Surprising Things You Can Do with Python’s csv Module

  • Crypto
    Willy Woo Predicts Bitcoin Market Cap Will Reach Global GDP Levels

    Willy Woo Predicts Bitcoin Market Cap Will Reach Global GDP Levels

    Meliuz Seeks Funding to Buy Nearly $80M Worth of Bitcoin

    Meliuz Seeks Funding to Buy Nearly $80M Worth of Bitcoin

    DeFi must return to its P2P origins.

    DeFi must return to its P2P origins.

    $286 Million Outflows Hit Bitcoin ETFs While Ether ETFs Celebrate 11th Day of Gains

    $286 Million Outflows Hit Bitcoin ETFs While Ether ETFs Celebrate 11th Day of Gains

    Russia’s Largest Bank Starts Issuing Bitcoin Bonds

    Russia’s Largest Bank Starts Issuing Bitcoin Bonds

    Insurers Eye Kidnap and Ransom Policies for Wealthy Crypto Holders

    Insurers Eye Kidnap and Ransom Policies for Wealthy Crypto Holders

    Bitcoin Bull Cycle is Over: CryptoQuant CEO

    Ethereum Foundation Lays Off R&D Staff, Restructures Under ‘Protocol’ Banner

    Meta Joins Microsoft, Amazon in Dismissing Bitcoin Treasury Despite Investor Push

    Meta Joins Microsoft, Amazon in Dismissing Bitcoin Treasury Despite Investor Push

    Strategy Unveils Stock IPO Plan to Fuel Relentless Bitcoin Expansion

    Strategy Unveils Stock IPO Plan to Fuel Relentless Bitcoin Expansion

  • Cybersecurity
    Cybersecurity

    Critical 10-Year-Old Roundcube Webmail Bug Allows Authenticated Users Run Malicious Code

    Cybersecurity

    Android Trojan Crocodilus Now Active in 8 Countries, Targeting Banks and Crypto Wallets

    Cybersecurity

    Microsoft and CrowdStrike Launch Shared Threat Actor Glossary to Cut Attribution Confusion

    Cybersecurity

    New Chrome Zero-Day Actively Exploited; Google Issues Emergency Out-of-Band Patch

    Cybersecurity

    Qualcomm Fixes 3 Zero-Days Used in Targeted Android Attacks via Adreno GPU

    Cybersecurity

    New Linux Flaws Allow Password Hash Theft via Core Dumps in Ubuntu, RHEL, Fedora

    Cybersecurity

    Czech Republic Blames China-Linked APT31 Hackers for 2022 Cyberattack

    Cybersecurity

    Microsoft OneDrive File Picker Flaw Grants Apps Full Cloud Access — Even When Uploading Just One File

    Cybersecurity

    251 Amazon-Hosted IPs Used in Exploit Scan Targeting ColdFusion, Struts, and Elasticsearch

  • Deals
    SAMSUNG 65-Inch Class QLED Q7F Series Samsung Vision AI Smart TV (2025 Model, 65Q7F)…

    SAMSUNG 65-Inch Class QLED Q7F Series Samsung Vision AI Smart TV (2025 Model, 65Q7F)…

    2025 for iPhone Magsafe Battery Pack, Ultra Slim Magnetic Power Bank Fast Charging,…

    2025 for iPhone Magsafe Battery Pack, Ultra Slim Magnetic Power Bank Fast Charging,…

    Patriot Memory P310 240GB Internal SSD – NVMe PCIe M.2 Gen3 x 4 – Low-Power Consumption…

    Patriot Memory P310 240GB Internal SSD – NVMe PCIe M.2 Gen3 x 4 – Low-Power Consumption…

    KEXIN 64GB Micro SD Card 10 Pack with SD Adapter microSDXC Memory Card UHS-I C10 U1…

    KEXIN 64GB Micro SD Card 10 Pack with SD Adapter microSDXC Memory Card UHS-I C10 U1…

    Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3600MHz C16 Desktop Memory (High Performance…

    Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3600MHz C16 Desktop Memory (High Performance…

    Shintenchi Gaming Chair, Computer Chair with Footrest and Lumbar Support,Video Game…

    Shintenchi Gaming Chair, Computer Chair with Footrest and Lumbar Support,Video Game…

    Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – Xbox Series X/Xbox One

    Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – Xbox Series X/Xbox One

    Rebel Nemesis: Cooperative Sci-Fi Horror Strategy Board Game for 1-5 Players

    Rebel Nemesis: Cooperative Sci-Fi Horror Strategy Board Game for 1-5 Players

    Dutch Blitz – Fast Paced Card Game for 2-4 Players Ages 8+, 160 Cards, Easy to Learn

    Dutch Blitz – Fast Paced Card Game for 2-4 Players Ages 8+, 160 Cards, Easy to Learn

  • Gaming
    Why GTA 6's Second Trailer Hasn't Been Announced, According to Ex-Rockstar Dev – IGN Daily

    Why GTA 6's Second Trailer Hasn't Been Announced, According to Ex-Rockstar Dev – IGN Daily

    GTA 6 Fans Believe There Is A SECRET Message In Rockstar Games NEW Trailer! (Grand Theft Auto 6)

    GTA 6 Fans Believe There Is A SECRET Message In Rockstar Games NEW Trailer! (Grand Theft Auto 6)

    GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK – Song of the Sands Gameplay Walkthrough [PS5 4K 60FPS] No Commentary

    GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK – Song of the Sands Gameplay Walkthrough [PS5 4K 60FPS] No Commentary

    God Of War Ragnarok should have been better… (Review)

    God Of War Ragnarok should have been better… (Review)

    REDRAGON S101 GAMING KEYBOARD

    adidas x Minecraft | Minecraft

    Forspoken Review – A Beautiful and Cruel Open-World of Athia (Action RPG)

    Forspoken Review – A Beautiful and Cruel Open-World of Athia (Action RPG)

    FNAF trailer 2 and Mario Wonder Direct thoughts – two great second trailers

    FNAF trailer 2 and Mario Wonder Direct thoughts – two great second trailers

    REDRAGON S101 GAMING KEYBOARD

    Nvidia’s app now has a light mode if you want to be flash banged

    Elden RIng Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay walkthrough Part 32 Scadutree Blessing fragments 13

    Elden RIng Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay walkthrough Part 32 Scadutree Blessing fragments 13

  • Tesla
    3-Ton Scissor Jack Kit for Tesla Model Y 3 S X with Rubber Jack Pad, Car Spare Tire…

    3-Ton Scissor Jack Kit for Tesla Model Y 3 S X with Rubber Jack Pad, Car Spare Tire…

    Tinlucys Armrest Cover Designed for Tesla Model 3/Y 2017-2023 2024,Leather Center…

    Tinlucys Armrest Cover Designed for Tesla Model 3/Y 2017-2023 2024,Leather Center…

    Tesla will pause part of new Model Y production for 3 weeks for upgrades, report says

    Tesla (TSLA) sales continue to crash in Europe as it clings to a fluke in Norway

    Gven- The Original Patented Car Eyes Windshield Sun Shade 2025 Windshield Cover…

    Gven- The Original Patented Car Eyes Windshield Sun Shade 2025 Windshield Cover…

    Tesla announces production of 1 millionth Powerwall with some shady math

    Bling Bling Rhinestone Logo Emblems for Tesla Model 3 Highland 2024, 7 Pcs Emblem…

    Bling Bling Rhinestone Logo Emblems for Tesla Model 3 Highland 2024, 7 Pcs Emblem…

    Car Seat Back Organizer, Large Capacity Foldable Car Seat Back Hanging Bag with 3 Extra…

    Car Seat Back Organizer, Large Capacity Foldable Car Seat Back Hanging Bag with 3 Extra…

    Tesla is forced to remove 64 Superchargers on NJ Turnpike, Musk claims ‘corruption’

    Tesla is forced to remove 64 Superchargers on NJ Turnpike, Musk claims ‘corruption’

    3 PCS Floor Mats for Tesla Model Y 5 Seater and 7 Seater 2024 2023 2022 2021,for Tesla…

    3 PCS Floor Mats for Tesla Model Y 5 Seater and 7 Seater 2024 2023 2022 2021,for Tesla…

  • UFO
    Funny Birthday Card for Him Her, Alien Abduction Birthday Card, Sci-Fi Birthday Gift, UFO Take Our Leaders

    Funny Birthday Card for Him Her, Alien Abduction Birthday Card, Sci-Fi Birthday Gift, UFO Take Our Leaders

    Merging Dimensions – New Edition

    Merging Dimensions – New Edition

    Marvel Avengers Iron Man IR UFO Ball Helicopter

    Marvel Avengers Iron Man IR UFO Ball Helicopter

    The Craziest Music Conspiracy Theories

    The Craziest Music Conspiracy Theories

    ‘Unidentified Flying Object’ #fishart #UFO #colorful #watercolorpainting #watercolor #art #painting

    ‘Unidentified Flying Object’ #fishart #UFO #colorful #watercolorpainting #watercolor #art #painting

    Men’s UFO Bigfoot Sasquatch Baseball Caps Funny Adjustable Vintage Dad Hats

    Men’s UFO Bigfoot Sasquatch Baseball Caps Funny Adjustable Vintage Dad Hats

    Evolution of Soyuz Spacecraft 1967-2016

    Evolution of Soyuz Spacecraft 1967-2016

    I Tripped on Acid from Outer Space

    I Tripped on Acid from Outer Space

    UAP sightings near nuclear sites

    UAP sightings near nuclear sites

No Result
View All Result
Techcratic
No Result
View All Result
Home MIT Tech

What happens during the first moments of butterfly scale formation | MIT News

MIT Tech by MIT Tech
October 13, 2024
in MIT Tech
Reading Time: 6 mins read
125 6
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on LinkedIn


Jennifer Chu | MIT News
2024-06-26 11:00:00
news.mit.edu

A butterfly’s wing is covered in hundreds of thousands of tiny scales like miniature shingles on a paper-thin roof. A single scale is as small as a speck of dust yet surprisingly complex, with a corrugated surface of ridges that help to wick away water, manage heat, and reflect light to give a butterfly its signature shimmer.

MIT researchers have now captured the initial moments during a butterfly’s metamorphosis, as an individual scale begins to develop this ridged pattern. The researchers used advanced imaging techniques to observe the microscopic features on a developing wing, while the butterfly transformed in its chrysalis.

The team continuously imaged individual scales as they grew out from the wing’s membrane. These images reveal for the first time how a scale’s initially smooth surface begins to wrinkle to form microscopic, parallel undulations. The ripple-like structures eventually grow into finely patterned ridges, which define the functions of an adult scale.

The researchers found that the scale’s transition to a corrugated surface is likely a result of “buckling” — a general mechanism that describes how a smooth surface wrinkles as it grows within a confined space.

“Buckling is an instability, something that we usually don’t want to happen as engineers,” says Mathias Kolle, associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. “But in this context, the organism uses buckling to initiate the growth of these intricate, functional structures.”

The team is working to visualize more stages of butterfly wing growth in hopes of revealing clues to how they might design advanced functional materials in the future.

“Given the multifunctionality of butterfly scales, we hope to understand and emulate these processes, with the aim of sustainably designing and fabricating new functional materials. These materials would exhibit tailored optical, thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties for textiles, building surfaces, vehicles — really, for generally any surface that needs to exhibit characteristics that depend on its micro- and nanoscale structure,” Kolle adds.

The team has published their results in a study appearing today in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science. The study’s co-authors include first author and former MIT postdoc Jan Totz, joint first author and postdoc Anthony McDougal, graduate student Leonie Wagner, former postdoc Sungsam Kang, professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering Peter So, professor of mathematics Jörn Dunkel, and professor of material physics and chemistry Bodo Wilts of the University of Salzburg.

A live transformation

In 2021, McDougal, Kolle and their colleagues developed an approach to continuously capture microscopic details of wing growth in a butterfly during its metamorphosis. Their method involved carefully cutting through the insect’s paper-thin chrysalis and peeling away a small square of cuticle to reveal the wing’s growing membrane. They placed a small glass slide over the exposed area, then used a microscope technique developed by team member Peter So to capture continuous images of scales as they grew out of the wing membrane.

They applied the method to observe Vanessa cardui, a butterfly commonly known as a Painted Lady, which the team chose for its scale architecture, which is common to most lepidopteran species. They observed that Painted Lady scales grew along a wing membrane in precise, overlapping rows, like shingles on a rooftop. Those images provided scientists with the most continuous visualization of live butterfly wing scale growth at the microscale to date.

Four images show the butterfly; the butterfly scales; the ridges of a single scale; and an extreme closeup of few ridges.
Series shows the Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui); an optical micrograph of its scales; electron micrographs of a single scale; and the ridges on that scale. Scale bars 200µm, 20µm, and 2µm.

Image: Courtesy of the researchers 

In their new study, the team used the same approach to focus on a specific time window during scale development, to capture the initial formation of the finely structured ridges that run along a single scale in a living butterfly. Scientists know that these ridges, which run parallel to each other along the length of a single scale, like stripes in a patch of corduroy, enable many of the functions of the wing scales.

Since little is known about how these ridges are formed, the MIT team aimed to record the continuous formation of ridges in a live, developing butterfly, and decipher the organism’s ridge formation mechanisms.

“We watched the wing develop over 10 days, and got thousands of measurements of how the surfaces of scales changed on a single butterfly,” McDougal says. “We could see that early on, the surface is quite flat. As the butterfly grows, the surface begins to pop up a little bit, and then at around 41 percent of development, we see this very regular pattern of completely popped up protoridges. This whole process happens over about five hours and lays the structural foundation for the subsequent expression of patterned ridges.”

Pinned down

What might be causing the initial ridges to pop up in precise alignment? The researchers suspected that buckling might be at play. Buckling is a mechanical process by which a material bows in on itself as it is subjected to compressive forces. For instance, an empty soda can buckles when squeezed from the top, down. A material can also buckle as it grows, if it is constrained, or pinned in place.

Scientists have noted that, as the cell membrane of a butterfly’s scale grows, it is effectively pinned in certain places by actin bundles — long filaments that run under the growing membrane and act as a scaffold to support the scale as it takes shape. Scientists have hypothesized that actin bundles constrain a growing membrane, similar to ropes around an inflating hot air balloon. As the butterfly’s wing scale grows, they proposed, it would bulge out between the underlying actin filaments, buckling in a way that forms a scale’s initial, parallel ridges.

To test this idea, the MIT team looked to a theoretical model that describes the general mechanics of buckling. They incorporated image data into the model, such as measurements of a scale membrane’s height at various early stages of development, and various spacings of actin bundles across a growing membrane. They then ran the model forward in time to see whether its underlying principles of mechanical buckling would produce the same ridge patterns that the team observed in the actual butterfly.

“With this modeling, we showed that we could go from a flat surface to a more undulating surface,” Kolle says. “In terms of mechanics, this indicates that buckling of the membrane is very likely what’s initiating the formation of these amazingly ordered ridges.”

“We want to learn from nature, not only how these materials function, but also how they’re formed,” McDougal says. “If you want to for instance make a wrinkled surface, which is useful for a variety of applications, this gives you two really easy knobs to tune, to tailor how those surfaces are wrinkled. You could either change the spacing of where that material is pinned, or you could change the amount of material that you grow between the pinned sections. And we saw that the butterfly is using both of these strategies.”

This research was supported, in part, by the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization, the National Science Foundation, the Humboldt Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Source Link

Support Techcratic

If you find value in Techcratic’s insights and articles, consider supporting us with Bitcoin. Your support helps me, as a solo operator, continue delivering high-quality content while managing all the technical aspects, from server maintenance to blog writing, future updates, and improvements. Support Innovation! Thank you.

Bitcoin Address:

bc1qlszw7elx2qahjwvaryh0tkgg8y68enw30gpvge

Please verify this address before sending funds.

Bitcoin QR Code

Simply scan the QR code below to support Techcratic.

Bitcoin QR code for donations

Please read the Privacy and Security Disclaimer on how Techcratic handles your support.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, Techcratic may earn from qualifying purchases.

Tags: MIT Tech
Share162Tweet101Share28
Previous Post

Mug Jambalaya – Quick and Flavorful Cajun Rice Dish

Next Post

X blocked hacked JD Vance dossier links after the Trump campaign flagged it

MIT Tech

MIT Tech

Discover cutting-edge research and technological breakthroughs with MIT Tech. Explore innovative projects and academic insights shaping the future of technology. Stay informed with the latest articles here at Techcratic.

Related Posts

At MIT, Lindsay Caplan reflects on artistic crossroads where humans and machines meet | MIT News
MIT Tech

At MIT, Lindsay Caplan reflects on artistic crossroads where humans and machines meet | MIT News

June 2, 2025
1.3k
MIT students and postdoc explore the inner workings of Capitol Hill | MIT News
MIT Tech

MIT students and postdoc explore the inner workings of Capitol Hill | MIT News

June 2, 2025
1.3k
The Download: US climate studies are being shut down, and building cities from lava
MIT Tech

The Download: US climate studies are being shut down, and building cities from lava

June 2, 2025
1.3k
Mary Robinson urges MIT School of Architecture and Planning graduates to “find a way to lead” | MIT News
MIT Tech

Mary Robinson urges MIT School of Architecture and Planning graduates to “find a way to lead” | MIT News

May 30, 2025
1.3k
A high-fat diet sets off metabolic dysfunction in cells, leading to weight gain | MIT News
MIT Tech

A high-fat diet sets off metabolic dysfunction in cells, leading to weight gain | MIT News

May 28, 2025
1.3k
Overlooked cells might explain the human brain’s huge storage capacity | MIT News
MIT Tech

Overlooked cells might explain the human brain’s huge storage capacity | MIT News

May 27, 2025
1.3k
Load More
Next Post
X blocked hacked JD Vance dossier links after the Trump campaign flagged it

X blocked hacked JD Vance dossier links after the Trump campaign flagged it

MIT researchers use large language models to flag problems in complex systems | MIT News

MIT researchers use large language models to flag problems in complex systems | MIT News

When to trust an AI model | MIT News

When to trust an AI model | MIT News

Your Tech Resources

  • 30 Second Tech ™
  • AI
  • App Zone ™
  • Apple
  • Ars Technica
  • CNET
  • ComputerWorld
  • Crypto News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Endgadget
  • Fossbytes
  • Gaming
  • GeekWire
  • Gizmodo
  • Google News
  • Hacker News
  • Harvard Tech
  • I Like Cats ™
  • I Like Dogs ™
  • LifeHacker
  • MacRumors
  • Macworld
  • Mashable
  • Microsoft
  • MIT Tech
  • PC World
  • Photofocus
  • Physics
  • Random Tech
  • Retro Rewind ™
  • Robot Report
  • SiliconANGLE
  • SlashGear
  • Smartphone
  • StackSocial
  • Tech Art
  • Tech Careers
  • Tech Deals
  • Techcratic ™
  • TechCrunch
  • Techdirt
  • TechRepublic
  • Techs Got To Eat ™
  • TechSpot
  • Tesla
  • The Verge
  • TNW
  • Trusted Reviews
  • UFO
  • VentureBeat
  • Visual Capitalist
  • Weird Stuff
  • Wired
  • ZDNet

Tech News

  • 30 Second Tech ™
  • AI
  • AnandTech
  • Apple Insider
  • Ars Technica
  • CNET
  • ComputerWorld
  • Crypto News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Endgadget
  • ExtremeTech
  • Fossbytes
  • Gaming
  • GeekWire
  • Gizmodo

Tech News

  • Harvard Tech
  • MacRumors
  • Macworld
  • Mashable
  • Microsoft
  • MIT Tech
  • Physics
  • PC World
  • Random Tech
  • Retro Rewind ™
  • SiliconANGLE
  • SlashGear
  • Smartphone
  • StackSocial
  • Tech Careers

Tech News​

  • Tech Art
  • TechCrunch
  • Techdirt
  • TechRepublic
  • Techs Got To Eat ™
  • TechSpot
  • Tesla
  • The Verge
  • TNW
  • Trusted Reviews
  • UFO
  • VentureBeat
  • Visual Capitalist
  • Weird Stuff
  • Wired
  • ZDNet

Site Links

  • About Techcratic
  • Affiliate Disclaimer
  • Affiliate Link Policy
  • Contact Techcratic
  • Dealors Discount Store
  • Privacy and Security Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feed
  • Site Map
  • Support Techcratic
  • Techcratic
  • Tech Deals
  • TOS
  • 𝕏
Click For A Secret Deal

Techcratic – Your All In One Tech Hub © 2020 – 2025
All Rights Reserved
∞

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Apple
  • Gaming
  • Microsoft
  • AnandTech