A chameleon's 'ballistic tongue' may inspire blood clot-clearing robots

Environment Animals Wildlife A chameleon's'ballistic tongue' may inspire blood clot-clearing robots Chameleons and salamanders can fire their tongues as fast as 16 feet/second. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. The sticky, slimy tongues of chameleons and salamanders may not sound like a great inspiration for engineering projects or medical innovations. But according to researchers at the University of South Florida, the same biological mechanics used to capture and devour bugs could accomplish similar feats inside your bloodstream--and even in outer space. Chameleons prefer to stick to warmer climates amid branchy trees and bushes, while salamanders mostly keep to moist, shaded environments such as decaying leaf debris and dark caves.