Hot Wings

Flying kites and butterfly wings are common sights in the summer sky. Yet far from being just pretty membranes stretched out to catch the breeze, butterfly wings rely on inner beauty to cope with the heat. Here we see black and blue scales from a Bistonina biston butterfly (top row) and under a scanning electron microscope (bottom). Their structural patterns help regions of the wing absorb and distribute heat differently, while cells equipped with temperature sensors allow the insect to tune its flight path to protect its fragile flappers from extreme temperatures. Economical designs that make allowances for thermoregulation may inspire the development of new aircraft wings, or perhaps 'smart' clothing to distribute heat better around the body, decreasing the risks of heat stress when working in sun.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

Website

• Image adapted from work by Cheng-Chia Tsai and colleagues
• Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
• Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
• Published in Nature Communications, January 2020