It looks like a charred piece of wood. The diabolical ironclad beetle (Nosoderma diabolicum) is one of the most fascinating species in the animal kingdom. At least, its shell is. Millions of years ago, the diabolical ironclad beetle evolved: it couldn't fly, so its shell grew stronger to become the only bulwark against its predators. According to a recent study conducted by the University of California, the beetle resists a load that can weigh up to 39,000 times its body mass. Thus, it can survive the passage of a car.