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Summary: Researchers have figured out how a jumbo squid's
hard, razor-sharp beak can slice through the soft
tissue of its prey--without tearing off from the stress.
The work solves a longstanding mystery over a
problem akin to anchoring a knife blade in Jell-O,
according to the authors of the new study. Using Seed
support from the MRL at UCSB, Herb Waite and
Frank Zok were able to show that the beak exhibited
an overall stiffness gradient that differs a hundredfold
from beak tip to base. Though rigid at its cutting end,
the beak gradually becomes softer and more flexible
as it approached the soft muscle tissue. The findings
offer a potential solution for the longtime engineering
struggle to attach mechanically mismatched materials.
Researchers have figured out how a jumbo squid's
hard, razor-sharp beak can slice through the soft
tissue of its prey--without tearing off from the stress.
The work solves a longstanding mystery over a
problem akin to anchoring a knife blade in Jell-O,
according to the authors of the new study. Using Seed
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