Could Roaches Be Heroes?
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Scientists have designed tiny diving suits for Madagascar hissing cockroaches.
We normally think of cockroaches as pests, not helpers. But a new high-tech diving suit may be able to turn an ordinary insect into a hero.
Scientists in Singapore are experimenting with ways to release cockroaches in areas where natural disasters, like earthquakes and floods, have happened. The scientists hope, when attached to heat-detecting cameras, the insects could find people who need to be rescued. In the past, the scientists created a cockroach backpack. When a cockroach wears the backpack and goes to a rescue site, scientists can use a remote control to make the insect move wherever they want. This may work on land, but not underwater—since cockroaches aren’t water animals.
FAN, Z., KAI, K., SONG, K. et al. Underwater Suit-Wearing Cyborg Insect Capable of Hours-Long Diving and Terra-Aqua Travel. Nat Commun 17, 5398 (2026) (CC-BY-4.0)
This image shows the tiny diving suit designed for cockroaches.
That’s where the diving suits come in. The special suit works like oxygen tanks work for human divers. It feeds oxygen to the cockroach, allowing it to stay under water for three hours. When scientists tested the suits, they found the cockroaches did just fine in water that was about 20 inches (51 centimeters) deep.
The scientists decided to work with cockroaches because they’re notably tough insects that can survive in difficult conditions. With thousands of species to choose from, the team selected Madagascar hissing cockroaches because they’re particularly strong. Plus, their large size makes it easier to fit them with the diving suits. And unlike tiny robots, cockroaches don’t need batteries to work!
The scientists are planning to take their experiments to different kinds of environments. Imagine a cockroach exploring Mars in a spacesuit!
