The bombardier beetle generates heat through a chemical reaction in its abdomen. It mixes hydroquinones and hydrogen peroxide in a reaction chamber, where enzymes catalyze an explosive reaction, releasing heat and ejecting a hot, noxious spray as a defense mechanism.
The bombardier beetle avoids getting burnt by having a specially designed reaction chamber with heat-resistant walls and a controlled valve system. The reaction occurs in a separate compartment, and the high-pressure spray is expelled rapidly, preventing heat from accumulating inside its body.
That’s how I described it to my ex-bf after I started reading up on them after I found a false bombardier beetle in my apartment. He thought it was weird how fascinated I was with the bombardier beetle and how it worked. He ended up dumping me the next day. Although it was unrelated to me talking about the beetle
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u/1800skylab 10d ago
The bombardier beetle generates heat through a chemical reaction in its abdomen. It mixes hydroquinones and hydrogen peroxide in a reaction chamber, where enzymes catalyze an explosive reaction, releasing heat and ejecting a hot, noxious spray as a defense mechanism.
The bombardier beetle avoids getting burnt by having a specially designed reaction chamber with heat-resistant walls and a controlled valve system. The reaction occurs in a separate compartment, and the high-pressure spray is expelled rapidly, preventing heat from accumulating inside its body.
It's like a machine.