Unusual Snail Shell Could Be a Model for Better Armor
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| Audience/Grade: | College Freshman-Continuing Education |
| Discipline(s): |
Biological Systems and Agricultural Engineering Engineering Mechanics Manufacturing Engineering Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
| Special Topic(s): | |
| Learning Resource Type: |
Reference - Article/Document |
| Media Type: |
Unknown |
| Author(s): |
Organization:Science News, Science Daily |
| Description: | Science news article with good example of biomimicry for design. Excerpt: "Deep within the Kairei Indian hydrothermal vent field, two-and-one-half miles below the central Indian Ocean, scientists have discovered a gastropod mollusk, whose armor could improve load-bearing and protective materials in everything from aircraft hulls to sports equipment. See Also: Plants & Animals * Marine Biology * Extreme Survival Matter & Energy * Materials Science * Civil Engineering Earth & Climate * Oceanography * Ozone Holes Reference * Gastropod shell * Volcanic cone * Animal shell * Metallurgy Researchers at the National Science Foundation-supported Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are studying the mollusk's physical and mechanical properties. A report, "Protection mechanisms of the iron-plated armor of a deep sea hydrothermal vent gastropod," appears this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." Image caption: A recently discovered gastropod from the Kairei Indian hydrothermal vent, called Crysomallon squamiferum, has an unusual shell structure superbly suited for protecting it against penetration attack. The outer layer is granular and composed of iron sulfide. The middle layer is much thicker than other mollusks generally have. These key points could be important in mollusc-inspired vehicle or personnel armor construction. In this illustration, a knight attacks the gastropod with a lance, but the gastropod's iron-plated armor withstands his advance. (Credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation, inset after Haimin Yao et al., PNAS, January 2010) |
| Rating: | No Rating |
| Related Resources | |
| Keywords: | biomimicry biologically-inspired design biomimetics |
| Usage Tip | |
| Related ABET Criteria: |
(c) Design a system, component, or process |
| Use of Resource: |
Could be used as an example of biomimetics in a design or materials class. |
| Difficulty: |
Easy |
| Interactivity Level: |
Low |
| Version Info | |
| Publication Date: | January 2010 |
| Platform/Format: |
WWW |
| Cost: |
Free |
| Download URL: | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100118153250.htm |
| Metadata: |
IEEE LOM Record |
| Collection: |
NEEDS
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