MIT scientists are using lobsters to develop a new form of flexible body armor

Imagine a highly sophisticated body armor that is a tough as it is flexible, a shield that consists largely of water, but remains strong enough to prevent mechanical penetration. Now imagine that this armor is not only strong, but also soft and stretchy, so much so that the wearer is able to move their body parts with ease, whether they're swimming in water, walking across the ground or rushing to escape danger. That description might sound like a suit worn by a fictional hero in the DC Comics franchise, but it actually describes portions of a lobster's exoskeleton. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard believe the soft membrane covering the animal's joints and abdomen ---- a material that is as tough as the industrial rubber used to make car tires and garden hoses ---- could guide the development of a new type of flexible body armor for humans, one designed to cover joints like knees and elbows. The researchers' findings appeared in a recent edition of the journal Acta Materialia.