Researchers at the University of Cambridge conducted a study on cockroaches and concluded that the tiny creatures can boost power to their mandibles, enabling them to chew through tougher materials than would otherwise be likely.

The researchers said gnawing through tough materials is not an issue for those cockroaches who depend on mandible boosters, giving them super-charged chewing powers.

Cockroaches are known for their nearly indestructible nature and capability to thrive in different conditions. The researchers closely studied the cockroaches and noticed that they can combine fast and slow twitch muscle fibers in their jaws.

The slow twitch muscle fibers have a stronger bite force in comparison to the fast twitch fibers. Cockroaches uses these slow twitch fibers to generate a bite force fifty times greater as compared to their own body weight. If compared, cockroaches can register a bite force nearly five times greater than a human, which is quite obvious also since they are quite smaller. The normal bite force of a cockroach is much less as compared to a human.

During the study, wherein approximately 300 cockroaches were used, the researchers observed cockroach bites in a number of angles and circumstances. They discovered that cockroaches can use both short and weak bites, and also long and strong bites.

During the shorter, weaker bites, the fast muscle fibers are used, whereas on the other hand, the stronger, longer bites use the additional fiber muscles. Using this, the cockroaches are able to boost their bite strength, exerting up to .5 Newtons.