/channels/taxonomy/term/26293/all en /channels/channels/news/unlocking-secret-strength-marine-mussels-353048 <p>How do you create strong, yet quick-release connections between living and non-living tissues? This is a question that continues to puzzle bioengineers who aim to create materials that bond together for advanced biomedical applications.</p> Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:38:00 +0000 webfull 195133 at /channels /channels/channels/news/velvet-worm-slime-could-inspire-sustainable-synthetic-materials-study-finds-352377 <p>In the tropical, temperate forests it calls home, the velvet worm uses a projectile “slime” to capture its prey. When it’s ejected from the worm, the slime transforms into a gel before solidifying into stiff fibers upon exposure to air. This forms an inescapable trap for struggling prey. "The fact that the slime transitions from a liquid to a solid in mid-air is extremely unusual," said Professor Matthew Harrington, co-director of the ƻ����Ժ Institute for Advanced Materials. “It appears that the forces it experiences when ejected initiate the transition.”</p> Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:56:54 +0000 webfull 194364 at /channels /channels/channels/news/how-mussels-make-powerful-underwater-glue-333875 <p><i>The mussels’ beards (which cooks remove before preparing them) are made up of byssal threads and are used to help keep the mussels tethered in place. At the end of each thread is a disc-shaped plaque that acts as an underwater glue. The unusual qualities of the glue and the byssal threads have interested people since </i><i>ancient times, when the threads of certain species were </i><i>woven into luxurious berets, purses, gloves, and stockings. </i><i>M</i><i>ore recently, scientists have developed underwater adhesives and surgical glues inspired by byssal thread chemistry.</i></p> Thu, 07 Oct 2021 18:00:40 +0000 webfull 173791 at /channels