When you think of strong animals, you probably imagine elephants, bears, and gorillas.
But what if a mere beetle - specifically a dung beetle - is the strongest land creature pound-for-pound? Could this be true?
VERDICT:
TRUE
Surprisingly, this is true.
Based on the ratio of body weight to strength, the dung beetle is not only the strongest insect but the strongest animal in the world, pound-for-pound.
It can pull over 1,000 times its body weight.
Scientists from the University of London and the University of Western Australia conducted a study in 2010 on a species of dung beetle called Onthophagus taurus.
They found it was able to pull 1,141 times its own body weight, equivalent to a 70kg person lifting about 80 tonnes or 20 hippopotamuses.
While it's hard to imagine a human carrying their weight, the beetle can pull something a thousand times heavier than itself.
Other strong insects include the rhinoceros beetle and the leafcutter ant, which can lift weights over 850 times and 50 times their own body weight, respectively.
So, if your New Year's resolution is to become stronger and fitter, don't look at the lion or gorilla—admire the dung beetle.
SOURCES
https://www.onekindplanet.org/
https://www.science.org/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/
