
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Think of a shark and you'll probably conjure up images of Jaws, but it turns out their skin is also covered in tiny teeth. Hannah and Dara investigate the incredible properties of these so-called dermal denticles, to find out whether they could be replicated at a nanoscale to increase vehicle speeds. They learn that while sharks might look like they have beautifully sleek surfaces, up close their skin is covered in something extremely rough and textured, a property that helps them swim up to 12 percent faster. And it's already inspiring airlines to design ultra-thin films that can reduce drag and increase efficiency.
Contributors
Dr Jess Wade
Producer: Marijke Peters
A BBC Studios Audio Production
By BBC Radio 44.8
738738 ratings
Think of a shark and you'll probably conjure up images of Jaws, but it turns out their skin is also covered in tiny teeth. Hannah and Dara investigate the incredible properties of these so-called dermal denticles, to find out whether they could be replicated at a nanoscale to increase vehicle speeds. They learn that while sharks might look like they have beautifully sleek surfaces, up close their skin is covered in something extremely rough and textured, a property that helps them swim up to 12 percent faster. And it's already inspiring airlines to design ultra-thin films that can reduce drag and increase efficiency.
Contributors
Dr Jess Wade
Producer: Marijke Peters
A BBC Studios Audio Production

7,696 Listeners

518 Listeners

877 Listeners

1,048 Listeners

296 Listeners

5,530 Listeners

2,108 Listeners

1,923 Listeners

4,881 Listeners

482 Listeners

411 Listeners

220 Listeners

363 Listeners

477 Listeners

367 Listeners

234 Listeners

141 Listeners

315 Listeners

3,173 Listeners

65 Listeners

92 Listeners

819 Listeners

548 Listeners

640 Listeners

188 Listeners

384 Listeners

237 Listeners

57 Listeners

77 Listeners

56 Listeners

73 Listeners