U.S. Navy researchers are working to re-create the tough, expandable slime that
hagfish expel at predators.
Credit: Ron Newsome/U.S. Navy
The U.S. Navy's new hero may be a knight in slimy armor.
A team of scientists and engineers with the U.S. Navy is taking inspiration from the natural world to develop a new defense tool. The researchers are using slime from the bottom-dwelling hagfish to create a new synthetic material that could act as another layer of defense on warships.
Pacific hagfish, also known as slime eels, secrete their protective slime to obstruct the gills of predators. The slime's properties are comparable to those of Kevlar, the synthetic fiber used in protective gear such as combat helmets and bulletproof vests, according to Josh Kogot, a biochemist with the Navy. [Biomimicry: 7 Clever Technologies Inspired by Nature] https://www.livescience.com/57705-us-navy-synthetic-hagfish-slime.html
