Deep-sea snail shell could inspire next-gen armour:18 January 2010
A deep-sea snail shell's ability to withstand heavy blows could inspire new generation of body armour.
Crysomallon squamiferum, commonly known as the scaly-foot gastropod, was discovered in 1999 in the Kairei "black smoker" field on the Central Indian Ridge, at a depth of 2420 metres.
Christine Ortiz at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her colleagues studied the snail's three-layered shell to find out how it defends itself from crab attacks.
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