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Ocean Sponge May Be Best for Fiber Optics

Posted by simoniker on from the spongebob's-unexpected-IPO dept.

TheViffer writes "ABC News is reporting that scientists say they've identified an ocean sponge, living in the darkness of the deep sea, that grows thin glass fibers capable of transmitting light better than industrial fiber optic cables used for telecommunication. 'You can actually tie a knot in these natural biological fibers and they will not break - it's really quite amazing,' said Joanna Aizenberg, who led the research at Bell Laboratories."

7 of 321 comments (clear)

  1. 7 inches long! by killthiskid · · Score: 5, Funny
    The sponge grows in deep water in the tropics. It is about a foot and a half tall with an intricate silica mesh skeleton that also serves as a home for shrimp. The glass fibers form a crown at its base that appear to help anchor the sponge to the ocean floor. The fibers are about 2 to 7 inches long and each is about the thickness of a human hair.

    Cool, fiber optics up to 7 inches long! That'll be effective! I can finally connect my computer to... uhh... to my uhh... what the hell, 7 inches! WTF!

    1. Re:7 inches long! by wolrahnaes · · Score: 5, Funny

      I did FTFA article...

      FTFA?

      Hmm...

      RFTA = Read The Fucking Article...
      FTFA = Fuck The Fucking Article?

      LOL i know it was just a typo, but it's still funny, especially with a subject of "7 inches long!" ;)

      --
      I used to get high on life, but I developed a tolerance. Now I need something stronger.
  2. Ahh yes.. this brings back child hood memories. by matth · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hrmm... what lives in a pineapple under the sea... sponge bob fiber light... wait no.. er... DOH!

  3. How Did They Figure This Out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    EE 1: We need a better fiberoptic cable.
    EE 2: Let's look at organisms deep in the ocean!
    EE 1: That's just crazy enough to work!

  4. Great, now Verizon... by twoallbeefpatties · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...now Verizon customer service is gonna be all, "Sorry, sir, it will take a week for us to replace the sponge."

    --
    Libertarians somehow believe that private businesses should be stronger than governments but weaker than individuals.
  5. Re:I wonder.... by way2trivial · · Score: 5, Funny
    and if they could reproduce what spiders do, we'd have a skyhook and lightweight bulletproof jackets. and the brookly bridge suspension cables would be as thick as a pencil

    and if they could reproduce what bees' do, a flying machine that weighs half a gram and sees what's going on.

    and if they could synthesize what chickens do, you could eat things out of my ass

    just that we know it exists, doesn't mean it can be synthesized (ot should be)

    --
    every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
  6. I think Steven Wright said it best: by EvilFrog · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Sponges grow in the ocean. That kills me. Make's me wonder how much deeper it'd be if that didn't happen."