Hagfish Slime. Image via flickr /dirtsailor2003
It could be the sustainable resource answer to replacing oil-based spandex and nylon as the material out of which we make stockings, wicking workout wear and bullet proof vests, but would you be ok with draping your body with fabric made from the translucent slime of the prehistoric Hagfish? Scientists at The University of Guelph have been experimenting with the possibility of stretching and drying the mucus secreted from these eel-like bottom feeders into a material not unlike silk. The fibrous goo, who’s biological function is to act as the creature’s self-defense mechanism, clogging and blocking the breathing passages of predators, also happens to be very thin, strong, and ideal for manufacturing eco-friendly fabric. Even animal activist would have few reasons for complaint as hagfish do not thrive in captivity and scientists are hoping to genetically engineer bacteria to produce the slimy substance rather than get it straight from the source.
Check out hagfish slime in action against Sharks:
[via PRI’s The World]
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Eva Voinigescu is an intern at Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter @EvaVoinigescu.
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