The Squid's Beak May Revolutionize Engineering

Ace905 writes "For years the razor-sharp beak that squid use to eat their prey has posed a puzzle to scientists. Squid are soft and fragile, but have a beak as dense as rock and sharp enough to break through hard shells. Scientists have long wondered why the beak doesn't injure the squid itself as is uses it. New research has just been published in the the journal Science that explains the phenomenon. One of the researchers described the squid beak as 'like placing an X-Acto blade in a block of fairly firm Jell-O and then trying to use it to chop celery.' Careful examination shows that the beak is formed in a gradient of density, becoming harder towards the tip end. Understanding how to make such hardness gradients could revolutionize engineering anywhere that 'interfaces between soft and hard materials [are required].' One of the first applications researchers envision is prosthetic limbs."

No comments?

[Lordfly]

A front page article with no comments? Really? ...are you all having sex or something?

Re:No comments?

[Anonymous Coward]

Individually, yes.

the other mystery

[ILuvRamen]

Now if only they can figure out why the "lobster sticks to magnet!" and LOBSTER HAS A BEAK! (if you dunno what that's from, don't hate. Trust me, it's funny)

Re:Squid = awesome

[LighterShadeOfBlack]

It sounds simple and obvious enough, but thinking about how to create materials that behave like this one realizes the challenges involved (not that I am a materials engineer and know anything about it.)

Forget synthesising the process, I think we all know where this is headed: Squid farming. Why figure out how to do it when nature has provided us with the goods, handily attached to a tasty snack.

OK, so there may be a few disappointed faces when people get a prosthetic beak instead of a hand. But I'm sure they'll come around to the idea when they think about it a little bit and realise that beaks are awesome.

Re:Squid = awesome

[lilomar]

But I'm sure they'll come around to the idea when they think about it a little bit and realise that beaks are awesome.

My only question is how far up my arm do I have to chop the hand off to qualify for this? I would like to keep my elbow, but if that is the cost of being the first human with a squid-beak hand, I can make sacrifices.

Re:No comments?

[MdotCpDeltaT]

That would only explain a delay of a minute or two.

Re:Squid = awesome

[Anonymous Coward]

Darn right it sounds obvious enough, how haven't they known this before? You'd easily be able to tell by just pushing your fingernail into it at different positions down its length....

Arr, me tried that one me laddy, got me fingernail halfway down its beak before the beastie chomped off me hand and squirmed into the ocean.

I think you mean...

[Tenebrousedge]

All this from intelligent design. Who would have thought that after the FSM took all that trouble to design an animal with all of these noodly appendages, we focus on the damn thing's beak?

Re:Squid = awesome

[Naughty Bob]

Realistically I don't know if this is so "revolutionary"

Are you so bold as to question the editorial integrity of /.?

No, as the headline says, the entire field of Engineering will never be the same.

Re:Beaks are neat

[Profane MuthaFucka]

Indeed. The puffer fish is not as well known as its cousin, the Babel Fish, but that should not let you from putting a puffer fish into your pocket and letting it get to work. You'll find that the puffer fish is a far better master of the sensual arts, and you'll not again be tempted by a blow job hamster which is, as I am sure you will agree, too little endowed in the lips, and to much endowed with the teeth.

Prostheses

[tygerstripes]

One of the first applications researchers envision is prosthetic limbs.

Prosthetic beaks? Seriously?

Re:Prostheses

[Culture20]

Prosthetic beaks? Seriously?

Haven't you ever wanted to bite into a nautilus just like an apple? Mmm, nautilus.

Re:Wha? Let me understand this.

[ScrewMaster]

Using B to get from A to C is an engineering revolution?

How the hell did we ever get into space?

I think it's because we used numbers instead of letters.

Re:I think you mean...

[neomunk]

Actually, if I understand the article right, the gradient is more like soggy ramen to 3-week old dried-on-the-stove Spaghetti-o. It gets pretty hard on the far side, and cannot be destroyed without the power of Dremel at your disposal.