What is a bio-metal? exploring the metallic mystery of an ancient maw

The sea worm Perinereis cultrifera have jaws made from structural proteins and ions, and this unique makeup has led some researchers to coin a new term: bio-metals. These materials can be categorized by three qualities — hardness, strain mechanics, and ion-protein structure — and in Biophysics Reviews, researchers examine the metallic qualities of the sea worm to further define the new classification, using nanoindentation, chemical analysis, and imaging.

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