The most serious burns are painless and involve all layers of the skin, including nerves. Fat, muscles and even bones also may be affected. Areas that are charred black or appear a dry white also usually occur.
However, diseases that result in damage to the myelin, including MS, leave the nerves exposed and electrical signals struggle to travel round the body.
While part of the exhibition, one of the insects wore a modified RoboRoach backpack with an Arduino add-on that took commands from Twitter: mentions including specific hashtags steered the roach left or right by stimulating its nerves.