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Phoenix666 writes:

The future of robotics may be defined by an unlikely source: the tails of seahorses.

A new study cites the fish appendages as possible inspiration for a breakthrough after finding that its movements facilitate bending and twisting while also providing strong resistance to crushing—key components for engineers developing new technologies.

Researchers from Clemson University in collaboration with U.C. San Diego, Ghent University, and Oregon State University began their work by seeking to ascertain why seahorses' tails are made up of square, as opposed to cylindrical (as found in most animals from rodents to monkeys), segments.

"Almost all animal tails have circular or oval cross-sections—but not the seahorse's. We wondered why," explained Michael Porter, assistant professor in mechanical engineering at Clemson University. "We found that the squared-shaped tails are better when both grasping and armor functions are needed."

Popular fiction has argued the case for environmental preservation for practical benefit. Is this sort of argument the only one that gets traction in a capitalist world?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/03/are-seahorses-the-secret-to-robots.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150702151308.htm