Trending Now - Scorpions' Armor Contains Metal for Enhanced Defense, Study Finds

WHO:

Gizmodo - Sam Campbell, lead author and pre-doctoral scholar at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History; Hannah Wood, senior study author and research entomologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

WHAT:

Gizmodo - A study confirmed that scorpions have metal laced in their pincers and stingers, which aids in hunting and defense.

Phys.org - The study examined 18 species of scorpions, revealing that metals like zinc and manganese are present in their weapons.

Gizmodo - Zinc was found to be the most prevalent metal at the tips of scorpions' stingers, followed by manganese.

Gizmodo - The study suggests that the more zinc a scorpion has in its tail or pincers, the less it has in the other, indicating an evolutionary trade-off.

Gizmodo - The researchers stated that there are close to 3,000 species of scorpions, all likely featuring metal enrichment.

WHERE:

Gizmodo - Research conducted at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

WHEN:

Gizmodo - The findings were published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface on a Tuesday.

WHY:

Gizmodo - The study aimed to understand how metal enrichment varies between scorpion species and its evolutionary significance.

HOW:

Gizmodo - Researchers used high-resolution electron microscopy and X-rays to examine the scorpions' appendages.

Gizmodo - The study performed statistical analysis of metal uptake across scorpions while accounting for phylogenetic relationships.

(UPDATED April 29, 2026 04:13 UTC)

A new study led by Sam Campbell and Hannah Wood at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has confirmed that scorpions possess metals in their pincers and stingers, enhancing their hunting and defensive capabilities. Researchers examined 18 species and found that zinc was the most prevalent metal at the tips of the scorpions' stingers, with manganese also present, suggesting an evolutionary trade-off in metal distribution between their tail and pincers. The findings, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, indicate that nearly 3,000 species of scorpions likely exhibit this metal enrichment, shedding light on its evolutionary significance.