Did you watch the TV special about barnacles last night?
No, I missed it. What did you learn about them?
That they glue themselves to rocks in the ocean, shortly after birth. They also stay in the same place forever.
Right, have you ever tried removing one of those things? It would be easier to chip the rock away than to get the barnacles off.
Exactly, and that's why scientists are trying to figure out what the barnacles glue is made of. It's considered one of the strongest adhesives in nature.
And it would have the advantage of being able to work on wet surfaces too.
Precisely, and because it's natural protein, it probably wouldn't be harmful to people like so many synthetic glues in use today.
Think of all the ways doctors and dentists could use such a glue, mending broken bones, fasting false teeth.