Post date: Apr 03, 2013 2:49:47 PM
Canada (Next Media) - Scientists are hoping that a substance secreted by hagfish could become the clothing of the future.
Each hagfish has roughly 100 glands that run along the length of its body that exude a milky, white substance comprised of mucus and thread. The substance is made of very thin, but strong fibers that expand in seawater, but become silky when dried. Each hagfish can produce hundreds of kilometers worth of slime thread. Scientists have been researching the slime and hope to use it to make clothing, such as tights, athletic gear and bullet proof vests. The slime could be a source for a renewable, environmentally-friendly fabric that is a natural alternative to synthetic materials.
SOURCES:BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21954779