These infrared images show just how alive butterflies’ wings are
Contrary to popular belief, butterfly wings actually have living cells that help them thermoregulate. (Yu et al./)From the iridescent blue wings of the Eumaeus atala butterfly to the painted lady’s signature fiery orange, it’s no secret butterflies have some pretty captivating flappers. For a long time, it seemed as if the insects achieved such radiance through sets of lifeless cells. But now, new research suggests a butterfly’s wings actually contain a network of living cells that serve a key purpose: to carefully regulate wing temperature. This network can contain something called a “wing heart,” which beats a few dozen times per minute to control blood flow.To better understand such complex structures within butterfly wings, researchers from Columbia and Harvard developed a new infrared imaging technique.The team removed the wing scales of more than 50 butterfly species to get a closer look at the interior neurons lurking underneath. Their custom thermal...