January 20, 2010
Snails May Inspire Better Human Armor
The newly-discovered snails have three-layer shells designed
for efficiency.
Snails May Inspire Better Human Armor
The newly-discovered snails have three-layer shells designed
for efficiency.
SUMMARY: A tiny, deep-sea snail has such an efficient shell, it could inspire a
better design for human body armor. Materials scientist Christine Ortiz of MIT
and colleagues have studied the iron-rich shell of the snail Crysomallon
squamiferum, which was recently discovered near deep-sea vents in the Indian
Ocean.
The shell has an unusual three-layered design: an inner, calcium-rich layer
providing structural support, a middle "compliant" layer this is flexible and helps
prevent cracks in the other layers from spreading, and the stiff outer layer that
is susceptible to "microfractures" that paradoxically can prevent more serious
cracks by dissipating energy.
Ortiz became interested in the snail in 2003 when it was discovered near the
sea floor vents that spew hot water. The animal lives in a harsh environment
with fluctuations in temperature, high acidity, and dangers from predators.
When a crab attacks a snail, it grasps the shell and squeezes it for days, if
necessary, until the shell breaks. This snail's three-layer arrangement protects
against penetration and bending and could provide a model for developing
protective materials for humans.
To read the entire article, click on this link to WORLD SCIENCE.
COMMENT: Once again, a "dumb, primitive" animal comes along and
suggests an idea for improving human lives which we intelligent homo sapiens
hadn't thought of yet. This most recent example of biomimicry is just one more
reason for appreciating the wisdom that went into the design of living
organisms. It is becoming increasingly illogical to believe this wonderful world
and its living inhabitants could possibly have come about by chance through
random processes.
This little snail could inspire mankind in another way as well. While the
design of its little shell might lead to better physical armor, this story could,
God willing, get people to think about a much more important kind of armor.
The spiritual armor we all need for protection from the one who preys on every
human, the devil himself, won't come from any snail, but it is available to all
through faith in Jesus Christ, our Mighty Fortress. Through regular study of the
Word of God and attendance at the worship services in faithful churches, we
are in line for an absolutely indestructible defense against all of Satan’s
temptations.
***************************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail your
request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
***************************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Are there scientists who are still in the rain-making business?
***************************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including
those containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
***************************************************************************************************
better design for human body armor. Materials scientist Christine Ortiz of MIT
and colleagues have studied the iron-rich shell of the snail Crysomallon
squamiferum, which was recently discovered near deep-sea vents in the Indian
Ocean.
The shell has an unusual three-layered design: an inner, calcium-rich layer
providing structural support, a middle "compliant" layer this is flexible and helps
prevent cracks in the other layers from spreading, and the stiff outer layer that
is susceptible to "microfractures" that paradoxically can prevent more serious
cracks by dissipating energy.
Ortiz became interested in the snail in 2003 when it was discovered near the
sea floor vents that spew hot water. The animal lives in a harsh environment
with fluctuations in temperature, high acidity, and dangers from predators.
When a crab attacks a snail, it grasps the shell and squeezes it for days, if
necessary, until the shell breaks. This snail's three-layer arrangement protects
against penetration and bending and could provide a model for developing
protective materials for humans.
To read the entire article, click on this link to WORLD SCIENCE.
COMMENT: Once again, a "dumb, primitive" animal comes along and
suggests an idea for improving human lives which we intelligent homo sapiens
hadn't thought of yet. This most recent example of biomimicry is just one more
reason for appreciating the wisdom that went into the design of living
organisms. It is becoming increasingly illogical to believe this wonderful world
and its living inhabitants could possibly have come about by chance through
random processes.
This little snail could inspire mankind in another way as well. While the
design of its little shell might lead to better physical armor, this story could,
God willing, get people to think about a much more important kind of armor.
The spiritual armor we all need for protection from the one who preys on every
human, the devil himself, won't come from any snail, but it is available to all
through faith in Jesus Christ, our Mighty Fortress. Through regular study of the
Word of God and attendance at the worship services in faithful churches, we
are in line for an absolutely indestructible defense against all of Satan’s
temptations.
***************************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail your
request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
***************************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Are there scientists who are still in the rain-making business?
***************************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including
those containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
***************************************************************************************************
0 Comments
| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
With droughts costing the U.S. as much as $8
billion annually, some states including
California, Nevada, and Utah are spending
millions of dollars on attempts to make it rain.
Environmentally safe chemicals like silver
iodide are heated so they rise and interact
with water in clouds to hopefully produce
precipitation. However, there is still a lack of
consensus on whether the technique works.
Source: Parade (1/10/2010)
billion annually, some states including
California, Nevada, and Utah are spending
millions of dollars on attempts to make it rain.
Environmentally safe chemicals like silver
iodide are heated so they rise and interact
with water in clouds to hopefully produce
precipitation. However, there is still a lack of
consensus on whether the technique works.
Source: Parade (1/10/2010)