The bombardier beetle (Brachinus Carabidae) must be the most unlikely collaborative partner ever to become involved in an advanced automotive technology research project. However, this amazing little insect's ability to spray a stinging 100℃ (212°F) cocktail from its internal "combustion chamber" over a distance 10 times its own length has concentrated the minds of a team at a leading British university. The 2 cm (0.8 in) long beetle uses its toxic irritant exothermic spray as a protection against ants. The insect creates the spray by reacting hydroquinone with hydrogen peroxide, stored in its fuel glands, to produce a blast of steam. It is an ability that may contribute to greater fuel efficiency, and subsequently to reducing emissions in the fuel-injection systems of production automobile engines.
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