A Complicated Way of Breathing

It seems simple in case of insects: oxygen goes directly to the cells without the need of blood. But powerful X-ray technology that peers through the opaque beetles' cover has revealed a much higher complexity of their breathing apparatus. A recent investigation shows that insect respira... [ read more >> ]

An X-ray of the yellow mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor), revealing the system of white tubes or tracheae running through its body

Image comment: An X-ray of the yellow mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor), revealing the system of white tubes or tracheae running through its body
Image credits: Alexander Kaiser/Argonne National Laboratory

An X-ray of the yellow mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor), revealing the system of white tubes or tracheae running through its body