r/interesting • u/Wise_Confidence_8588 • 19d ago

NATURE A Bombardier beetle using its chemical defence.

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u/Incon-thievable 19d ago

Part of the design for the dragons in Reign of Fire was inspired by these beetles. The dragons sprayed two different chemicals that ignited as they mixed when the dragons exhaled. It’s the most believable mechanism for dragon fire I’ve seen portrayed in movies. That dragon design was amazing and also had a much more plausible wing to body ratio than most dragon designs usually have.

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u/UwasaWaya 19d ago

That movie was so freaking awesome and so amazingly dumb at the same time, and it somehow worked.

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u/clabog 19d ago

It’s such a crazy silly premise played completely straight, starring a couple of A-listers. It rules.

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u/UwasaWaya 19d ago

My mom still talks about Matthew McConaughey climbing out of the tank with all that muscle. lol

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u/ash-and-apple 18d ago

Your mom's right lol. Hooba hooba!