“Scuba” is a meme from the Alpha generation that was later taken up by Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X to the point of embarrassment. In Singapore, scuba is not a meme but an ability given to a cockroach.
Researchers from Nanyang Technological University have developed a scuba suit for the insect that is feared when it flies and hated when it crawls. Using 3D printing techniques, this cockroach scuba diving suit allows it to dive for up to 3 hours continuously. The 3D printed suit covers the cockroach’s respiratory spiracles. This creates air bubbles that provide oxygen for breathing underwater.
When combined with cockroach control technology developed in Japan in 2022, this scuba cockroach could be used in search and rescue efforts or to inspect small pipes without it drowning.
The study was published in the journal Nature.
