This Common Backyard Insect Is Helping Scientists Develop Invisibility Devices

Pictured is a leafhopper G. serpenta. Lin Wang et al. studied the geometric designs of the surface coatings on leafhopper bodies. Leafhoppers produce brochosomes to coat their body surfaces, which are hollow, nanoscopic, buckyball-shaped spheroids with through-holes distributed across their surfaces. The authors found that the through-holes of these hollow buckyballs play an important role in reducing the reflection of light.

Pictured are brochosomes produced by leafhopper G. serpenta. Brochosomes are hollow, nanoscopic, buckyball-shaped spheroids with through-holes distributed across leafhoppers’ body surfaces. Lin Wang et al. studied the relationship between the optical properties and the geometric designs of the brochosomes. The authors found that the through-holes of these hollow buckyballs play an important role in reducing the reflection of light.

Theories on why leafhoppers coat themselves with a brochosome armor have ranged from keeping them free of contaminants and water to a superhero-like invisibility cloak. However, a new understanding of their geometry raises a strong possibility that its main purpose could be the cloak to avoid predators, according to Tak-Sing Wong, professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering and corresponding author of the study.

“That makes us ask a question,” Wong said. “Why this consistency? What is the secret of having brochosomes of about 600 nanometers with about 200-nanometer pores? Does that serve some purpose?”The researchers found the unique design of brochosomes serves a dual purpose — absorbing ultraviolet light, which reduces visibility to predators with UV vision, such as birds and reptiles, and scattering visible light, creating an anti-reflective shield against potential threats.

“This is the first time we are able to make the exact geometry of the natural brochosome,” Wong said, explaining that the researchers were able to create scaled synthetic replicas of the brochosome structures by using advanced 3D-printing technology. Next, the researchers said they plan to improve the synthetic brochosome fabrication to enable production at a scale closer to the size of natural brochosomes. They will also explore additional applications for synthetic brochosomes, such as information encryption, where brochosome-like structures could be used as part of an encryption system where data is only visible under certain light wavelengths.

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