Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin

treehugger.com 16 Aug '12, 12pm

Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin

© Michele Westmorland/Getty Images In honor of Shark Week , we're dedicating this week's pause-and-be-awed moment to sharks -- specifically, to their amazing skin. Sharks have evolved to be perfect predators, and that means having the perfect jaws, eyes, sensory organs, and yes, skin. Shark skin has two impressive and inspiring features. First, it is made to be perfectly hydrodynamic -- but that doesn't mean it's perfectly smooth. In fact, the texture of shark skin that helps move water past the shark with minimal drag is exactly what researchers have tried to reproduce for everything from boats and cars to swimsuits. unknown/Public Domain Here's the fascinating scoop from Ask Nature : The very small individual scales of shark skin, called dermal denticles ("little skin teeth"), are ribbed with longitudinal grooves which result in water moving more efficiently over their s...

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Tweets

@OMSAC » 19 Aug '12, 7am
RT @CelebrateOceans: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link] via @treehugger #SharkWeek
@JudyJudy47 » 17 Aug '12, 8pm
RT @OurOcean: Did you know shark skin is germ resistant, and the technology of it has been adapted for human bandages? [link]
@OurOcean » 17 Aug '12, 8pm
Did you know shark skin is germ resistant, and the technology of it has been adapted for human bandages? [link]
@Ozzymandias33 » 17 Aug '12, 9am
RT @JusJane53: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin... [link]
@fendixiii » 17 Aug '12, 12am
If you're an animal lover this will impress you. #SharkWeek RT @JaymiHeimbuch writes on why shark skin blows her mind. [link]
@BeatlesJohnny » 16 Aug '12, 8pm
RT @Sharksavers: More proof (as if we need it!) that #sharks are amazing: hydrodynamic skin! [link]
@Sharksavers » 16 Aug '12, 8pm
More proof (as if we need it!) that #sharks are amazing: hydrodynamic skin! [link]
@Uptails_inc » 16 Aug '12, 7pm
RT @theoceanproject: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link] via @treehugger #SharkWeek
@TreeHugger » 16 Aug '12, 4pm
In honor of #SharkWeek, @JaymiHeimbuch writes on why shark skin blows her mind. [link] #NatureBlowsMyMind
@seth_leitman » 16 Aug '12, 2pm
RT @JaymiHeimbuch: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link] #sharkweek
@JaymiHeimbuch » 16 Aug '12, 2pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link] #sharkweek
@Strat4Enviro » 16 Aug '12, 1pm
RT @torontoeco: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@Arx4Guerillas » 16 Aug '12, 1pm
Have you thanked a shark today? The Wonders of Shark Skin via @TreeHugger Use it on buildings to reduce wind drag too. [link]
@RaymondFrenken » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link] #Threehugger #CSR
@GroenWerkt » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
#trhug Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin #mlfeeds: This week's "Nature Blows My Mind" is dedicate... [link]
@econewsbits » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
New post: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@one24_freedom » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin: This week's "Nature Blows My Mind" is dedicat... [link] #reallycoolstuff
@jjingob2535 » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
RT @USRealityCheck: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin: This week's "Nature Blows My Mind" is dedic... [link] th.bp #green #USRC
@HairyTheHobbit » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
TREEHUGGER: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin: This week's "Nature Blows My Mind" is dedicated to... [link]
@HerbalistaMD » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin: This week's "Nature Blows My Mind" is dedicated to sharks in h... [link]
@USRealityCheck » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin: This week's "Nature Blows My Mind" is dedic... [link] th.bp #green #USRC
@RosalindaJHill » 16 Aug '12, 4pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@KrmbalClothing » 16 Aug '12, 2pm
RT @JaymiHeimbuch: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link] #sharkweek
@catchthewaveit » 16 Aug '12, 2pm
RT @JaymiHeimbuch: Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link] #sharkweek
@Fresh_Picked » 16 Aug '12, 2pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@Camz99 » 16 Aug '12, 1pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin : TreeHugger [link] via @TreeHugger
@Enviroblogger » 16 Aug '12, 1pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin : TreeHugger [link]
@LennJohnston » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@SiennaSigil » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@LennonReturns » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@keepingitraw » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@4saleNovato » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin: This week's "Nature Blows My Mind" is dedicated to sharks in h... [link]
@Healthguy5796 » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin: This week's "Nature Blows My Mind" is dedicated to sharks in h... [link]
@BobLalonde1 » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@preserveland » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@ourbluemarble » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@TorontoEco » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]
@ecoelectrons » 16 Aug '12, 12pm
Nature Blows My Mind! The Wonders of Shark Skin [link]