All articles tagged with #scorpions
A study of 18 scorpion species found zinc, manganese, and iron are concentrated in stressed parts of their stingers and pincers, with zinc-rich tips and manganese layers on stingers and zinc/iron on claws, reinforcing these weapons to resist wear and boost hunting efficiency, offering insight into arthropod evolution.
Researchers mapped metal distribution (zinc, manganese, iron) in the stingers and pincers of 18 scorpion taxa from the Smithsonian using high‑resolution imaging. They found intentional metal enrichment: zinc at the stinger tip to harden the spear, manganese lower down to improve flexibility and vibration absorption, and iron in claw denticles to boost abrasion resistance. Patterns vary with species’ hunting vs. defensive use, with zinc enrichment higher in weaker, slender claws and an inverse relationship between stinger and claw zinc levels, suggesting evolutionary allocation of metals to the weapon most used. The study also notes intra‑species variation and life‑stage differences remain to be explored.
Scientists mapped metal use in 18 scorpion species and found zinc concentrates at sting tips while manganese dominates down the stinger, with zinc and iron lining the inner cutting edge of pincers to boost durability; patterns vary by species according to hunting style, suggesting metal reinforcement evolves with weapon use. The study, using micro X-ray fluorescence microscopy, was published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface (2026).
A Smithsonian-led study analyzing 18 scorpion species finds metals, especially zinc and manganese, are embedded in their pincers and stingers and vary by species in a way that reflects an evolutionary trade-off between durability and leverage; the research, using electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescence, suggests metal enrichment is widespread among scorpions and lays groundwork for broader comparisons and future questions about diet and gender differences, with the findings published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
Francis Buchholz, the original Scorpions bassist who anchored the band's classic era, died at 75 after a private battle with cancer. Joining in 1973, his melodic bass helped define hits like Still Loving You, Rock You Like a Hurricane and Wind of Change, and the band went on to sell more than 100 million albums. He left in 1992 to focus on family, later worked as a music consultant and toured with Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock. He is survived by wife Hella, son Sebastian, and twin daughters Louisa and Marietta; the family has asked for privacy.
Francis Buchholz, longtime bassist for the Scorpions, has died at 71 after a private battle with cancer, his family confirmed in a Facebook post. Buchholz joined Scorpions after Dawn Road and contributed to landmark albums like Love Drive, Blackout and Love at First Sting before leaving in 1992; he later collaborated with Uli Jon Roth, Dreamtide and Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock on two albums.