Humans have learnt many things nature. These things have helped us our daily life. The latest thing is self-repairing clothing. Scientists have developed a special way clothing to repair rips and tears itself, without the need sewing. It works with materials such cotton, linen and wool. The scientists are from the Naval Research Office and Pennsylvania State University in the USA. Scientists Dr. Walter Dressick and Dr Melik Demirel looked how squid can cling to things so well. The research team found a protein in the rings teeth that cover the suckers a squid. The protein is similar to the one found the silk that spiders use to make spider webs. It is very strong and elastic (stretchy).
The new protein has been developed as part a coating, which is put clothes. When the coating is dipped water, the area around the rip or tear joins together less than a minute. This could help clothes last longer and save us money. It could also be useful military and survival clothes. People like soldiers and mountaineers would be safer if they had clothes that repaired quickly and easily. Professor Demirel spoke the invention. He said: "The coatings are thin, less than a micron, so they wouldn't be noticed everyday wear." He added: "Even thin, they increase the overall strength the material. For the first time, we are making self-healing textiles."
