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Skeleton of marine sponge Euplectella aspergillum
The skeleton of Euplectella aspergillum, a deep-water marine sponge with a higher strength-to-weight ratio than traditional lattice designs used for centuries in the construction of buildings and bridges.
[Research supported by U.S. National Science Foundation grants DMR 2011754 and DMR 1922321.]
Learn more about this research in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences news story Marine sponges inspire the next generation of skyscrapers and bridges. (Date image: 2020; date originally posted to NSF Multimedia Gallery: April 27, 2021)
Credit: Image courtesy of Matheus Fernandes/Harvard SEAS
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