How Strong Are Cockroaches?
WouterCockroaches have a tough exoskeleton, but their internal structures are quite flexible. This allows them to transfer energy to their legs and run. Because of this, they can survive a 900-fold compression force. In addition, cockroaches can withstand the pressure of a newspaper slap. They also have spines, which help them gain traction when they are splayed out.
A recent study from the National Academy of Sciences found that cockroaches can withstand forces of up to 900 times their weight. That means that they can survive falling buildings and radiation fallout, even if they are less than a paperclip. Despite this, cockroaches are not as durable as we’d like to believe.
To determine how strong cockroaches are, researchers examined 300 bites from specimens. They found that those that use more muscle fibers generated stronger bites. These findings may be useful in bioinspired engineering. This study also found that the cockroach has a strong immune system, which helps it survive poisonous foods. In addition, the insects’ genes help them detoxify foods that may be harmful to humans.
However, the cockroach’s bite is surprisingly strong. It is five times stronger than a human chomp. But the roach does not use all of its muscles at once; instead, it divides its effort into short, weak bites with fast muscle fibers and long, powerful bites with slow muscle fibers. The latter bite is more effective in terms of force because it takes time for the muscles to “power up” before reaching maximum force. This is probably because it targets harder materials that require more force.
