Project 'Squid Skin' looks to decode cephalopods' skills at camouflage |
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Washington, May 22 ANI: Some marine animals known as coleoid cephalopods, which includes octopus, squid, and cuttlefish are wizards of camouflage. While these masters of disguise change their appearance based on visual cues, they do so while being completely colorblind. But the big question as to how they pull it off has attracted a lot of attention. A research collaboration among three institutions hopes to find ways to develop materials for use by humans that emulate cephalopods' skills at camouflage and signaling, reports Fox News. "Our internal name for this project is 'squid skin,' but it is really about fundamental research," said Naomi Halas, a materials scientist and nanotechnologist at Rice University in Houston, Texas. "Our deliverable is knowledge-the basic discoveries that will allow us to make materials that are observant, adaptive, and responsive to their environment." The Office of Naval Research is backing the effort with a four-year, 6 million dollar grant. "The Navy is interested in basic science that will help make breakthroughs of specific benefit to the Navy," explained Roger Hanlon, an animal behavior specialist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass. The project will focus on proteins called opsins. These usually function in the eyes to sense light. In 2008, however, a team headed by Hanlon found that the skin of cephalopods also contains opsins. Project scientists from the Mass. lab, Rice, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County are now studying how the opsins in the skin receive light and help the sea creatures adjust their skin patterns. In collaboration with Project member Thomas Cronin, Hanlon's team will seek different opsins in cephalopods' skin that detect light of different wavelengths. ANI Posted by aniin on Tuesday May 24 reply Comments |
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