Biologists give insects 'nanosuits' to protect them in a vacuum

By creating nanosuits to protect insects while inside a vacuum, scientists can now study the living creatures using scanning electron microscopes (SEM).

Putting living organisms inside the high vacuum required by a SEM generally results in their swift death, however, by bombarding particular insects with electron beams or ionised plasma particles, biologists were able to create a polymer coating which prevented extreme dehydration while in the vacuum.

By: Philippa Warr, Edited by: Olivia Solon

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via Wired.co.uk



http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-04/17/insect-nanosuits