Science 349, 6243 (2015)

Credit: AAAS

Careful analysis of evolved systems in nature has previously revealed a number of novel design principles that might enhance the performance of artificial structures. Material hierarchy and mechanical structure are two examples of this. Now, Michael Porter et al. have found that the square cross-sectional structure of the tail of seahorses lends them an enhanced ability to mechanically grasp objects and to resist crushing from predators, as compared with a cylindrical cross-section. The authors use 3D printing to fabricate representative artificial tail structures with either square or circular cross-sections, and performed mechanical testing in combination with computational modelling to understand their performance and deformation mechanics. They find that the articulated rigid bony plates of a seahorse tail in a square configuration offer a great range of motion when bending, twisting or being crushed, helping to preserve mechanical integrity. This might provide a useful design strategy when fabricating mechanically robust and flexible architectures.