Mussels, barnacles, and similar sea creatures can stick to almost anything, even underwater, and hold on despite being battered by tides and waves. This unique ability has caught the eye of University of Utah researchers trying to create the next generation of adhesives for medical applications.
The problem with the current crop of bandages, sutures, and surgical-grade glues that keep wounds closed and/or covered is that they leave scars and don’t do well with moving bodies. The researchers are hoping to replicate the natural adhesives used by the tenacious sea creatures. However, the biochemical makeup of these substances is complicated, and progress has been slow.
(Source: Wired)
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