Sand is incredibly tough, so when it is blown at high speeds by desert winds it can cause a lot of damage. However, the yellow fat-tailed scorpion, Androctonus australis, can survive in harsh desert environments without suffering erosion to its body.

Erosion is a serious problem in industry and can affect everything from pipes and machinery to helicopter rotors and jet engines. Dirt, sand or grit in the air or inside machinery is often responsible.

By using microscopes to study the bodies of several scorpions, scientists found that the creatures have a mixture of tiny bumps and grooves on their backs.

The researchers then used computer models to see how air travels down these grooves. They found that because of the way air flows down the grooves, sand particles are either channelled away from the scorpion’s body, or strike it with much less force than they would if the grooves weren’t there.