The New Fashion?

Animals Inspire Next Generation of Body Armor: "Animals Inspire Next Generation of Body Armor
John Roach
for National Geographic News
July 17, 2006

Animals' natural defenses are providing inspiration for researchers developing the next generation of lighter, tougher body armor.

Benjamin Bruet, a graduate student in engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, is part of a team funded by the U.S. military to create new materials to protect soldiers in the field." . . .

"The team has become particularly interested in the soft-bodied snail Trochus niloticus and the inner layer of the shell that protects it."

"It takes twice as much energy to break a piece of nacre than what nacre's structure should be able to withstand, Bruet explains."

Pete's Points:
So I guess in ten years time we will expect to see the Marines landing on some beach somewhere to fight yet another foe and this time instead of the traditional Marine battle hymn they will be listening and singing along with Burl Ives about pearly shells.

Is nothing sacred anymore?

Soon we will see all forms of research subverted to military applications.

Cockneys in London who are into this pearly stuff and women all over the world who wear natural and cultured pearls will need to be aware that in the future they will probably have to consider a new fashion item - the pearl shell bulletproof vest. Nothing strange about adapting military items into the fashion stakes folks, just look at the Humvee!