The Secret to the Skillful Skydiving of Wingless Springtails
Early in the pandemic, Víctor Ortega-Jiménez was exploring creeks near his home and observing springtails. The organisms are the most abundant non-insect hexapods on earth, and Ortega-Jiménez suspected their avoidance of predators had something to do with their ability to jump on the water surface and land perfectly in the same spot.
Ortega-Jiménez brought the hypothesis back to his lab in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE). Using a combination of computational and robophysical modeling, as well as fluid dynamics experiments, the researchers were able to see for the first time the mechanics of springtail movement. They determined how springtails control their jump, self-right in midair, and land on their feet — all within the blink of an eye — effectively saving them from predators.