Mussels make superglue?

Nature is so amazing. I heard about this topic on the radio last week and was curious to learn more about it. Even with all the technological advances we have made, humans still pale in comparison to what nature figured out a long time ago.  One such example is the fibers and adhesives that mussels use to attach themselves to objects in the sea.  Their ability to stick to wet surfaces is of particular interest as this may have potential application in medicine for wound closure due to surgery or injury.  This could even include surgeries to unborn babies.  Current chemical adhesives are no match for the salty, wet conditions of the human body. Mussel adhesives are so strong they are able to hold on during waves and storm currents making them a great example to study. Hmm...and here I was just thinking they were a seafood dish.  Check out this article to learn more.

Support Bangladesh Arsenic Education Project on IndieGoGo

Dear friends of Chemists Without Borders,

I am pleased to announce the kickoff of our campaign on IndieGoGo aimed at educating high school students in Bangladesh on the dangers of drinking water contaminated with arsenic. Chemists Without Borders has provided arsenic test kits to six schools in Bangladesh to test the drinking water in their schools and in their surrounding communities. Our goal is to educate the students about arsenic poisoning, which is a critical health issue in Bangladesh and many other parts of the world. For wells that test above the limit of 50 parts per billion (ppb) of arsenic, we plan to work with other organizations to provide for alternative sources of clean drinking water.

Please take a few minutes to take a look at the IndieGoGo site, watch the brief video, and read about the success so far of the project. I am very proud of the work we have done so far, and with your help, we plan to scale up the project to reach more schools, eventually reaching all areas affected by arsenic in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Please feel free to share this information with others in your network who might be interested in the work Chemists Without Borders is doing. We can’t do it without you!

Warmest regards, and best wishes for a peaceful holiday season.

Steve

Steve Chambreau
President, Chemists Without Borders
stevechambreau@chemistswithoutborders.org

Chemists Without Borders is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the Internal Revenue Service.  All donations are tax-deductible as permitted by US law.  Please check with your employer to see if they will match your donation!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bangladesh-arsenic-education-project#home