Scorpions go terminator mode and reinforce their weapons with metal

Research analyzing 18 scorpion species revealed distinct patterns of metal enrichment in their weapons, with zinc concentrated at stinger tips and zinc or zinc-iron combinations along pincer cutting edges. The findings suggest an evolutionary relationship between how a weapon is used and the specific properties of the metal that reinforces it. The metals represent evolution's answer to the constraint that adult scorpions cannot regenerate lost body parts, with metals concentrated in whichever weapon the animal depends on most.

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-05-01