Biology
The Biomechanics of Jumping in Fleas and the Role of Resilin
Quick fact
Fleas use a pad of resilin, a protein that is nearly 100% elastic, as a spring. They compress this spring slowly with their muscles, then release it in a fraction of a millisecond to launch themselves, achieving accelerations over 100 times the force of gravity.
Why this is interesting
You've probably seen a flea jump, but did you know it can leap over 100 times its own body length—the equivalent of a human jumping over a skyscraper? How can a tiny insect generate such explosive power?