Jumping Fleas

Dr Erica McAlister of London's Natural History Museum takes a look at some of the entomological pioneers, whose groundbreaking observations and experiments have led to some truly innovative developments.

She first sets out to examine the jump of the humble flea. Most flea legs average just 3mm and so, without much length, they really don’t have much time to generate energy to push off the ground. So how do these tiny insects achieve jumps of over 20cm?

Dame Miriam Rothschild had a life-long fascination with these acrobatic insects. Through intricate dissections of the flea anatomy and innovative high speed filming, she claimed a flea’s jump was not just down to their muscles. Her insights, along with fellow entomologists, have led to discoveries of the most elastic substance in the natural world and a means of acceleration that is fuelling the development of innovative jumping micro robots.

Producer: Adrian Washbourne

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2021.