{"page":"\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\nVideo\n
\n

\nTiny butterfly proboscis inspires big ideas - Science Nation\n

\n
\n
\nGet Free Access for 10 Days!\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
×
\n\n\n
\n\nPublisher:\n\nScience360\n\n\n
\n
\nIt's often a butterfly's wings that capture our attention, but scientists at Clemson University are intrigued with another part of the butterfly called the proboscis. It's an elongated tube-shaped, sucking mouthpart that the insect can...\nIt's often a butterfly's wings that capture our attention, but scientists at Clemson University are intrigued with another part of the butterfly called the proboscis. It's an elongated tube-shaped, sucking mouthpart that the insect can uncoil, similar to the way an elephant uncoils its trunk.

With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), materials scientist Kostya Kornev, biologist Peter Adler and their team at Clemson University are studying the evolution of the proboscis, its biomechanical properties and the physics of how it works to make synthetic fibers with similar properties. And, this is no simple sipper! It's actually two tubes that can come apart and then naturally come back together, so it's self-repairing.

The proboscis can also work like a sponge, as well as a straw, and its surface properties make it self-cleaning. So there's no sticky residue after a meal. Eventually, Kornev's team wants to build a proboscis-like micro siphon--or probe. Using capillary action through channels and pores, it would suck up or dispense tiny drops of fluid. Such a device would have wide-ranging applications, such as new medical tools.

The research in this episode was supported by NSF grant #1305338, Biomechanics of Self-Assembly of the Lepidopteran Feeding Device.

NSF Grant URL

Miles O'Brien, Science Nation Correspondent
Kate Tobin, Science Nation Producer\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Resource Details

\n
\n
\n
\n
Curator Rating
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Media Length
\n
3:23
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Grade
12th - Higher Ed
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Subjects
Science
6 more...
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Media Type
Instructional Videos
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Source:
\n
\nScience360\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Date
\n
2015
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\n
Language
English
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Audiences
For Teacher Use
2 more...
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Additional Materials

\n
\n\nSign in or Join Now
\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"/subscription/new\">Video Transcript\n
\n
\n\nSign in or Join Now
\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"/subscription/new\">Video Preview\n
\n
\n
\n

Concepts

\n
\n
fibers, corn, scientists
\n
\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Additional Tags

\n
\n
works, science, experiments, proboscis, material, sciences, form, science experiments, general science, performance, found, fiber, sensors, coil, butterfly, team, understand, national science foundation, mandibles, transform, brain, learning, device, structure, made, straw, cornev
\n
\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Classroom Considerations

\n
Best For: Explaining a topic
Video is ad-free
\n
\n
\n

Educator Ratings

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\nShow resource details\n
\n
\n\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: Tiny butterfly proboscis inspires big ideas - Science Nation\" href=\"/subscription/new\">\"Tiny\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n"}