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Ants and mini robots

Snap! An ant’s amazing jaws move faster than a speeding bullet. Their powerful spring mechanism is being copied by scientists and may help move a new type of mini robot.

S2 Ep18. Snap! The trap-jaw ant’s amazing jaws can move faster than a speeding bullet, snapping shut at a top speed of 230km per hour. When the ant bites down, the force is so great that it launches the insect high into the air. Their powerful spring mechanism is being copied by scientists and may help move a new type of mini robot, which one day could be deployed in situations too dangerous for humans to enter – like fires or earthquake zones.
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18 minutes

Podcast