Name: What sticky sea creatures can teach us about making glue
Uploaded: 2019-01-24T15:43:54Z
Duration: 13 min 49 s
Description: What if we could harness the sticking powers of sea creatures like mussels, oysters and barnacles, which refuse to budge even on wet, stormy coastlines? Dive into the wonderful world of animals that make their own glue and cement with scientist Jonathan Wilker -- and preview some of the amazing things we can learn from how they do it.

What if we could harness the sticking powers of sea creatures like mussels, oysters and barnacles, which refuse to budge even on wet, stormy coastlines? Dive into the wonderful world of animals that make their own glue and cement with scientist Jonathan Wilker -- and preview some of the amazing things we can learn from how they do it.

What sticky sea creatures can teach us about making glue

Mussels, oysters, and barnacles cling tightly to rocks through storms and waves, all thanks to their natural adhesives. Scientists are decoding the secrets of these marine glues, which outperform store-bought adhesives—sometimes even surpassing superglue in strength—while working underwater. By mimicking these natural solutions, new adhesives are being developed that are not only strong and water-resistant but also safer and biodegradable. These innovations could transform products from furniture and cars to medical sutures, helping solve problems of toxicity and waste.