This shrimplike creature makes aluminum armor to survive the deep sea's crushing pressure
Amphipods—small, shrimplike crustaceans in most aquatic ecosystems—start to fall apart once they hit depths of 4500 meters. There, a combination of crushing pressures, low temperature, and higher acidity causes the calcium carbonate in their exoskeletons to dissolve, making them vulnerable to pressure and predators. Now, scientists have discovered how one species, Hirondellea gigas, can survive in the deepest part of the ocean: with aluminum suits of armor.
Researchers first analyzed H. gigas specimens found at the bottom of the Challenger Deep, more than 10,000 meters below the surface of the ocean. They found that this extreme amphipod constructs a personal suit of armor—a layer of aluminum hydroxide gel covering the surface of its exoskeleton. But aluminum isn't abundant in ocean water, making it hard to source as a building material. It is, however, abundant in ocean sediment.
An aluminum shield enables the amphipod Hirondellea gigas to inhabit deep-sea environments (open, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206710) (DX)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 13 2019, @11:22PM (1 child)
I already knew bout this for a while now:
https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Shelmet_(Pok%C3%A9mon) [bulbagarden.net]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 13 2019, @11:25PM
Shelmet appears to be based on a combination of a giant tube worm, nautilus, or snail, and plate armor. ...