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Freepathon Day 46
Posted on 08/15/2011 9:47:39 PM PDT by LibWhacker
This is bullet-proof human skin - made from spider silk and goat milk. Yes, really. Jalila Essaidi is testing the limits of human endurance, and it starts by having to milk spider-goats. Spider goats are otherwise innocent-looking goats that have been genetically engineered to produce milk packed with the protein made in spider's silk. (There is no definitive proof that this also gives them a propensity to skitter up walls or hide out in your sock drawer, but I think it does.)
Once the goats are milked, Essaidi spins the protein into fiber that is ten times stronger than steel, and mixes it with human skin.
Basically she's created a fiber matrix of the protein, laced liberally with human skin cells. The result is a composite of human skin that can actually stop bullets, as you can see in this picture below.
This is bullet-proof human skin - made from spider silk and goat milk. Yes, really. The project is called '2.6g 329m/s' after the weight and the velocity of a .22 calibre long rifle bullet. The ultimate goal of the project is to create bullet proof humans by replacing the keratin in our skin with spider's silk, making it much tougher. The current project, though, is a more modest endeavor. The outer and the inner layer of skin will grow around a matrix of spider's silk, making an overall composition that is bullet proof.
This is bullet-proof human skin - made from spider silk and goat milk. Yes, really. You can see the whole project (with narration in Dutch) in this video.
Wonder how well it will stand up to 750 grain bronze solid spun on a electric screw machine with an aerodynamic coefficient of .91 traveling at 2800 fps?
Ahh... interesting. I hope one day I can take a trip around like Spider-Man too (sarc).
Mixing spider, goat and human DNA?
Hopefully they can proceed full speed ahead without any ninnies raising objections that God actually "knew what He was doing" when he created us.
Is a sarcasm tag really needed here?
Likely not well. Spiders are notoriously splattered by a screen swatter, much less a weapon of guaranteed destruction, goats less so but imperceptably.
While there are undoubted benefits to turtle shell skin it is manifestly uncomfortable. Kevlar works just fine, thanks anyway.
No, not at all, I'm thinking.
A .22 slug traveling at 99fps is a pretty low standard for bulletproof material.
They definitely need to seek a remedy for stuff traveling in the 2700-3200fps range.
A .22 slug traveling at 99fps is a pretty low standard for bulletproof material.
They definitely need to seek a remedy for stuff traveling in the 2700-3200fps range.
Wow! She has a wicked English accent in the video. I could barely understand her. But interesting post.
“It puts the lotion on its skin or it gets the hose again.”
Bring on the centaurs, mermaids and cyclops already!
Actually, that slug would be traveling a little shy of 1070 fps.
I think they might have meant collagen.
If they could replace the collagen, they might be able to eliminate age related wrinkles...
Do you think it’s unwise to be genetically engineering with goats and humans?
Naaaaaaah.
That they can't stop a .44 mag right out of the starting gate does not diminish this invention in any way. I think it is really a great find they have here. Think of the possibilities of other composite materials that can be made this way, other things that can be added to it, and other applications besides just bulletproofing. There is all kinds of medical uses for such a tough skin such as burn victims, hemophilia, sensitive skin diseases, extra layering for working in hazardous areas, frostbite prevention, clothing, housing materials, windows, rope, outerspace materials, reinforcing polymers for all types of uses, etc... the list goes on.
Plus it is a different way of manufacturing that can be looked into for other possibilities and applications.
Alright, you got me. Because I read your comment before watching, I spent the first 20 seconds of the video trying to actually understand her ;-)
I spent more than that before I realized it.
They do say, however, if you ever wondered what English sounds like to foreigners who cannot speak English. The closest language it sounds like is German.
So, I do have that excuse to fall on.
You ~know~ what I’m thinking.....;]
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