Researchers from the University of Plymouth explored how differences in the sensory abilities of hermit crabs influenced how long it took them to recover after being startled. In one species of hermit crab, tiny hair-like structures – otherwise known as sensilla – on the claws appear to be important in gathering information about their surroundings, including the presence of potential predators. The study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal, has shown that crabs with more sensory hairs on their claws recover faster from a startle response.

African scaly-tailed squirrels use their scaled tails to safely move across the smooth bark of trees in their native rainforest habitats. Researchers from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems have for the first time investigated the physics of these thorn-covered scales located on the underside of the squirrel tails through mathematical and physical models. Their findings could eventually enable agile and energy-efficient bionic robots and drones.

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have solved a 60-year-old mystery in bacterial cell envelope biology, defining the primary function of an important protein complex responsible for maintaining the stability of the outer membrane (OM).