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Insect Substance Synthesized For Science

Posted by Zonk on from the boing-boing-boing dept.

An anonymous reader wrote to mention an article discussing the successful synthesis of resilin, a super-elastic material used by insects to perform amazing feats. From the article: "Dr. Elvin predicted the substance would lead to everything from artificial arteries to spinal parts that would not wear out despite being flexed 100 million times. 'That's how many times you move your back in 50 or 60 years,' he said. It could also be used in micro electronics. 'We even imagine putting it in running shoes.'"

25 of 224 comments (clear)

  1. I like where this is going... by feagle814 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Dragonflies and bees use resilin to beat their wings all day long

    I like where this is going...

  2. Price by GenKreton · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This all sounds very good but how cost efficient will large, industry scale production of resin be? Just because they can successfully reproduce its chemical structure does not mean that they can do it in a cost efficient enough manner to break into any of the mentioned markets.

    1. Re:Price by Stripsurge · · Score: 3, Informative

      Once they've got the gene(s?) into bacteria making more of the substance becomes very easy. Grow a whole bunch of the transgenic bacteria and extract product. Cost will vary with application. For everyday uses (running shoes) it'd be cheap but for implants into humans it needs to be a lot purer as to not trigger an immune response. Even small bits of leftover bacteria is a very bad thing. Pure typically = $$.

  3. Registration only, lots more here by Markus+Registrada · · Score: 4, Informative

    Lots of better (non-registration-required) links here:

    http://news.google.com/news?q=resilin&btnG=Search+ News

    1. Re:Registration only, lots more here by Seehund · · Score: 5, Informative

      Or why not go to the original source instead of trying to understand what the hell the dumbed-down popular press versions are trying to say (which can be difficult when the journalists don't know squat about the topic they're covering)?

      Nature's news story, which summarizes the original article by Elvin et al. (You need to be sitting at a Nature subscriber institution to read the latter.)

      --
      Help savingAmigaOS and a free PowerPC market
  4. RTFA by kotku · · Score: 5, Informative

    "We currently make sufficient material for research purposes, but this could be scaled up for commercial use," Dr Elvin said. "It looks a bit spaghetti [but] we can cast it in any shape."

    --
    The bikini - security through obscurity since 1943
    1. Re:RTFA by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 3, Funny

      "It looks a bit spaghetti [but] we can cast it in any shape."

      They would just need to swap out the die on their Play-Doh Fun Factory.

  5. Less information by KeiserSoze · · Score: 5, Funny

    Learn less about Resilin at Wikipedia.

  6. Condoms by Bad+Labrador · · Score: 5, Funny

    Resilin condoms. One size really does fit all.

    1. Re:Condoms by fmwap · · Score: 5, Funny

      Resilin condoms. One size really does fit all.

      Good for 100 million uses!

  7. bringing down the price by Andreas+Schaefer · · Score: 5, Funny

    this will only become affordable on an commercial scale once the porn industry starts using resilin - i won't go into details, but there are interesting applications for a high durabality super-elastic material... ..or maybe just new alien case-mods?

    - Andreas

  8. Re:Go Australian Scientists .... by my+ky+is+brokn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Now lets see another invention go overseas while our anti science government sits on its's hands ...

    Anothr invntion go ovrsas? Invntions don't gt outsourcd...thy gt invntd. Nxt tim, try a littl hardr with the anti-govrnmnt rhtoric.

  9. You know its getting late when... by Toxicgonzo · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know its getting late when you read the article as "Incest Substance Synthesized For Science" ..." An anonymous reader wrote to mention a article discussing the successful synthesis of resilin, a super-elastic material used incest to perform amazing feats" and I'm like WTF

  10. Webshooters! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Admit it, you guys are all thinking that too. Boo organic web spinnerets.

  11. Why do insects produce such amazing substances? by Vellmont · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Spiders produce super-strong silk, other insects produce this perfect rubber substance. What is it about insects that they produce such desireable materials? Are there more insect substances equally amazing?

    --
    AccountKiller
    1. Re:Why do insects produce such amazing substances? by duffahtolla · · Score: 5, Insightful
      What is it about insects that they produce such desireable materials?

      Short life span, and extreme numbers give them accelerated evolution compared to other animals.

  12. From the horse's mouth... by scdeimos · · Score: 3, Informative

    ... so to speak. No soul-eating registration required:

    Harnessing flea power to create near-perfect rubber

  13. secret identity by nielkosh · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It looks a bit spaghetti [but] we can cast it in any shape. Dr. Elvin, I presume? Or is it .... Peter Parker...

  14. I, for one ... by threaded · · Score: 5, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our super bouncy overlords.

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    threadeds blog

  15. Phew! by 10Ghz · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Dr Elvin predicted..."

    For a moment I read that as "Dr Evil"...

    --
    Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
  16. doubtful by Loconut1389 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    While resilin sounds interesting, the article seems a bit hyped up...

    "If humans had such pads they could leap 100-storey buildings"

    That sounds like unsubstantiated exxageration- eg no reality behind it. Now it may be true, but seems highly improbable to me?

    I hope resilin does neat things, but I'd rather read about it in Science magazine or Scientific American.

  17. More info by Maikel_NAI · · Score: 4, Informative

    You can read more about it in BBC News (English) and in Astroseti (Spanish).

    --
    Faith does not move mountains, but drills can go through it.
  18. Re:Yeah it's flexible by Wwolmack · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's a non-volatile protein, not living cells like a kidney or liver. So theres a very low chance of rejection.

  19. Re: *Sniff* Whats that smell? by klmth · · Score: 3, Informative

    That hyperbole was invented by the reporter. The summary in Nature has no such claims.

    I really hate it when scientific discoveries get FUBARed by the press. What is it with journalists? Why don't they have any common sense?

  20. Re:Remain alive futurama style by Blurredplacebo · · Score: 3, Funny

    and after 300 cups do you break the coffee barrier?