“Once again man is copying one of the marvels of design in Gods creation.” Admin Harvard’s Wyss Institute specializes in designing new materials and devices that mimic patterns found in living things. Their latest contribution was inspired by the versatile material found in insect cuticle, which is strong and flexible, yet remarkably lightweight. The result was “shrilk,” a moldable, biodegradable substance derived from shrimp shells and silk that is as strong as some aluminum alloys but only half their weight. “Shrilk could be used to make trash bags, packaging, and diapers that degrade quickly,” according to a Wyss Institute press
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