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THE AMAZING SQUID’S BEAK

                                             The beak of the squid baffles scientists. They wonder: How can something that is so hard be attached to a body that has no bones? Should not the combination of materials cause abrasion and hurt the squid.          The tip of the squid’s beak is hard, whereas the base of the beak is soft. The composition of the beak –which is made up of chitin, water, and protein –changes in density so gradually from soft to hard that the squid can use its beak without causing any harmful abrasion.          Professor Frank Zok, at the University of California, says that studying the squid’s beak could revolutionize the way engineers think about attaching materials together in all sorts of applications. One potential application is in the making of prosthetic limbs. Ali Miserez, a researcher at the same University, imagines creating a full prosthesis that mimics the chemistry of the beak, so that it matches the elasticity of cartilage on one side

THE ANT’S MYSTERIOUS NECK STRENGTH

       Mechanical Engineers marvel at the ability of a common ant to lift weights many times heavier than its own body. To understand this ability, engineer at Ohio State University, U.S.A., reverse engineered some of the ant’s anatomy, physical properties, and mechanical functions by means of computer models. The models were created using X-ray cross-sectional images [micro CT scans] and simulations of the forces an ant generates when carrying loads.        A critical part of the ant’s anatomy is its neck, which has to bear the full weight of loads grasped in its mouth. Soft tissues within the ant’s neck bind with the stiff exoskeleton of its thorax [body] and head in a manner that mimics the interlocking of fingers in folded hands . The design and structure of this interface is critical for the performance of the neck joint. The unique interface between hard and soft materials likely strengthens the adhesion and may be a key structural design feature that enables the large