The metal-reinforced skeleton of Marvel and Disney’s iconic superhero may be less fantastical than it initially appears. A process known as atomic layer deposition has demonstrated that natural biomaterials can be strengthened to an extraordinary degree.
When it comes to the possibility of becoming almost immortal and regenerating from catastrophic injuries like Wolverine, science still offers a decisive no. We are equally unable to grow genuine bone claws that burst through our knuckles to complete the classic superhero costume, but another one of the character’s defining abilities may not belong entirely to the realm of fantasy.
The idea of covering a human skeleton with a liquid metal stronger than steel and permanently fusing it with living bone remains undeniably futuristic. Nevertheless, anyone who left Deadpool & Wolverine seriously considering this particular route to becoming a superhero may be surprised by what biological engineering has already accomplished.
The Science Behind Wolverine’s Skeleton
The researchers drew inspiration from ants that incorporate zinc into their jaws to make them harder and more durable, as well as marine worms that achieve a similar result with copper. A team from the Institute of Physics and Microstructure Research in Halle, Germany, attempted to reproduce this natural process through a technique known as atomic layer deposition.
To test the theory, the scientists introduced three metals, titanium, aluminum, and zinc, into the protein structure of spider silk. The treated material became as much as ten times stronger and more elastic than ordinary spider silk, offering a striking demonstration of what the process can achieve.
The study showed not only that the method could potentially be applied to other biological materials, but also that it could contribute to the development of artificial tendons and reinforced bone structures. Science is still a very long way from producing Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton, but metal-strengthened human biomaterials are no longer an entirely impossible concept.
Source: 3DJuegos
