Surviving in the abyss skeletal adaptations of deep sea glass sponges
Abstract
The deep-sea glass sponge Euplectella aspergillum has attracted the attention of researchers all over the world since its discoveryin the late nineteenth century, for its beauty and intriguing physical properties. Despite more than a century of extensive research, these dwellers of the abyss are still shrouded in mystery, due to the difficulty in accessing live specimens for experimental testing in controlled settings. Recently, super simulations of the flow physics around and inside these organisms have shed light on their surprising skeletal adaptations, opening a new line of research at the intersection of engineering, physics, and biology. This project puts forward an integrated, experimental and computational, research agenda to detail the mechanical response of these organisms in isolation or in groups, towards distilling new design principles for light- weight, naval structures that can passively adaptto flow conditions to optimize their mechanical performance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jun 13, 2024
- Source ID
- N629092412072
Entities
People
- Giacomo Falcucci
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Tor Vergata University of Rome
- United States Navy