Porcupine quills easily penetrate flesh but prove hard to remove due to microscopic barbs, say scientists.
North American porcupines are famed for their unique defence as they carry 30,000 quills on their backs.
Researchers studied the structures to understand how they effortlessly enter flesh but do not leave as smoothly.
Tiny backward-facing barbs studding the tip of each quill were found to reduce penetration force and maximise staying power.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/20628302
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Porcupine's prickly defence mystery solved
the discovery could revolutionise medical equipment for human use
Started by Still Waters , Dec 11 2012 02:07 PM
porcupine quills
Started by Still Waters , Dec 11 2012 02:07 PM
3 replies to this topic
#1
Still Waters
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Que Sera, Sera - Whatever will be, will be..
Posted 11 December 2012 - 02:07 PM
#2
Kasey2601
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Dishonest and stupid. Feel free to ignore everything I say.
Posted 11 December 2012 - 07:41 PM
So whose job was it to count those 30,000 quills? And is it exactly 30,000? On each animal? No ± involved?
Makes sense to me why the quills wouldn't come out easily. I thought this was something they knew ages ago.
Makes sense to me why the quills wouldn't come out easily. I thought this was something they knew ages ago.
Illegal immigration isn't a new concept in the US. Just ask the Native Americans.
"...it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain."
"...it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain."
#3
Taun
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Posted 11 December 2012 - 08:16 PM
Lady Kasey, on 11 December 2012 - 07:41 PM, said:
So whose job was it to count those 30,000 quills? And is it exactly 30,000? On each animal? No ± involved?
Makes sense to me why the quills wouldn't come out easily. I thought this was something they knew ages ago.
Makes sense to me why the quills wouldn't come out easily. I thought this was something they knew ages ago.
Anyone who was stuck with one certainly knew it!
#4
pallidin
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"When life gets you down... swim with a dolphin"
Posted 12 December 2012 - 12:17 AM
Lady Kasey, on 11 December 2012 - 07:41 PM, said:
So whose job was it to count those 30,000 quills? And is it exactly 30,000? On each animal? No ± involved?
Makes sense to me why the quills wouldn't come out easily. I thought this was something they knew ages ago.
Makes sense to me why the quills wouldn't come out easily. I thought this was something they knew ages ago.
Exactly, even I heard a long time ago that they have barbed quills.
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