snails
Tough as snails
The lowly sea snail, of all things, has a unique way of manufacturing armor from soft ingredients. God equipped one of the simplest and slowest of creatures with a surprisingly robust shell that combines two brittle ingredients. Scientist are only beginning to understand and replicate this new way to create “composite” materials that could lead to new and better products At first glance, the shell of the snail does not seem so impressive. The ear-shaped armor consists of mainly calcium carbonate, which is the same compound in Tums tablets, but when that compound is stacked in a special way it becomes quite durable. Recently researchers in Zurich Switzerland discovered ways to mimic the process that manufactures this “snail-strength”. Although God designed the snails shell to be used a more complex way, it inspired scientists to developed similar convenient ways to produce structures
“Tough as snails” from AnswersMagizine – VOL. 8 NO. 1 Jan-Mar. 2013 (Pg. 42)
The lowly sea snail, of all things, has a unique way of manufacturing armor from soft ingredients. God equipped one of the simplest and slowest of creatures with a surprisingly robust shell that combines two brittle ingredients. Scientist are only beginning to understand and replicate this new way to create “composite” materials that could lead to new and better products At first glance, the shell of the snail does not seem so impressive. The ear-shaped armor consists of mainly calcium carbonate, which is the same compound in Tums tablets, but when that compound is stacked in a special way it becomes quite durable. Recently researchers in Zurich Switzerland discovered ways to mimic the process that manufactures this “snail-strength”. Although God designed the snails shell to be used a more complex way, it inspired scientists to developed similar convenient ways to produce structures
“Tough as snails” from AnswersMagizine – VOL. 8 NO. 1 Jan-Mar. 2013 (Pg. 42)