Repellent slime has material virtues
Atsuko Negishi (left) holds up a an Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) and the slime it produces when provoked or stressed. Douglas Fudge (right) and his team are investigating the properties of fibers in the goo. Andra Zommers/Univ. of Guelph Step aside spiders. Threads made by another creepy-crawly — the eel-like hagfish — may lead to superior new fibers for parachutes, packaging and perhaps even clothing. A new study that examines the mechanical properties of threads made from hagfishes’ slimy mucus finds the fibers are both strong and stretchy, and may serve as a model for creating superior new materials. “The tensile properties approach those of spider silk, and that’s very exciting,” says biomaterials specialist Douglas Fudge of the University of Guelph in Canada.
Keywords:
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Douglas Fudge
Overall Sentiment: 0.213012
Relevance: 0.779631
| Sentiment | Quote |
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| 0.321408 | “We’re using it as a source of inspiration,” he says. ... |
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Atsuko Negishi
Overall Sentiment: -0.0275766
Relevance: 0.586938
Andra Zommers/Univ.
Overall Sentiment: 0
Relevance: 0.297263
Vincent Zintzen
Overall Sentiment: 0.0562707
Relevance: 0.255418
| Sentiment | Quote |
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| -0.470431 | “There’s very little that’s been known about hagfish. People don’t like them and think they are gross,” says research scientist Vincent Zintzen ... |
| -0.28583 | “There’s very little that’s been known about hagfish. People don’t like them and think they are gross,” says research scientist Vincent Zintzen of the National Museum of New Zealand in Wellington. “The idea of looking at their slime is very interesting. It’s totally different from anything that we’ve seen in the natural world.” |
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Additional Info:
Facility: Fudge’s lab
Overall Sentiment: -0.0622589
Relevance: 0.394248
City: Guelph
Overall Sentiment: 0
Relevance: 0.323953
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Source URL: sciencenews.org
Repellent slime has material virtues
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Threads from hagfishes' defensive goo demonstrate superior strength and flexibility
Source URL: sciencenews.org
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