Snail with super shell inspires better body armor
Evolution is one hell of a designer. That’s why scientists at the MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) are looking at a sea snail with a super-strong shell to glean new design ideas for body armor.
The snail, called Trochus niloticus or “scaly-foot” snail, lives at the bottom of the Indian ocean near thermal vents that spew sulfurous 14o°F water. The vents, called black or white smokers, fuel a bizarre ecosystem that includes giant tube worms, wicked crabs, and the scaly-foot snail. The snail has a unique three-layered shell unlike any other snail known that can resist a tremendous amount of force. The shell’s outer layer is made of iron sulfite granules. That’s followed by a thick organic layer, then a calcified inner layer. The tri-layered shell can resist long attacks by crabs or other predators looking for a snack.
Scientists at ISN are studying the snail and other armored animals so they can design better body armor for police and troops.
