In an ancient Chinese tomb, the remarkable "bionic" armour was unearthed 2,500 years ago
pixabay.com As far as we know, there are just two more examples of its kind. A man was buried in northwest China with armour consisting of more than 5,000 leather scales, a finely crafted military outfit that resembles the interlacing scales of fish; new research has shown. The armour, which resembles an apron-like waistcoat, could be donned quickly without the help of another person. Professor Patrick Wertmann of the University of Zurich's Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies described it as "lightweight, highly efficient, one size fits all defensive clothing for soldiers of a mass army." Wertmann is the study's primary researcher. Using nature as a source of inspiration for human technology was referred to as bionics by the researchers. According to study co-researcher Mayke Wagner, the scientific director of the Eurasia Department of the German Archaeological Institute and head of its Beijing office, the fish-like overlapping leather scales "strengthen the