Scientists Discuss: Exoskeletons

Astronaut: An individual trained for space travel aimed at research and exploration.

Calcium: A chemical element and alkali metal prevalent in the minerals and sea salts of the Earth’s crust. It is also a key component of bone minerals and teeth, influencing the movement of certain substances in and out of cells.

Chitin: A robust, translucent substance that serves as the primary material in the exoskeletons of arthropods (including insects). The carbohydrate chitin is also present in the cell walls of various fungi and algae.

Crustaceans: Aquatic animals characterized by hard shells, such as lobsters, crabs, and shrimp.

Exoskeleton: The rigid protective outer layer of numerous animals that do not possess a true skeleton, including insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Insects and crustaceans primarily have exoskeletons composed of chitin.

Insect: As an adult, it refers to a category of arthropod characterized by six segmented legs and three distinct body sections: the head, thorax, and abdomen. This category includes hundreds of thousands of species, such as bees, beetles, flies, and moths.

Invertebrates: Animals that lack a backbone; approximately 90% of animal species fall into this category.

Ligament: A fibrous, elastic tissue connecting one bone to another.

Mineral: Solid, crystal-forming substances that compose rocks, such as quartz, apatite, or different carbonates. Most rocks are aggregates of various minerals. Minerals are typically stable at room temperature, possessing a specific chemical formula and a defined crystal structure.

Moon: The natural satellites associated with planets.

Polymer: A substance formed from long chains of repeated atomic groups. Examples include synthetic polymers like nylon and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), along with natural polymers such as rubber, silk, and cellulose (the latter found in plants and utilized in paper production).

Predators: (Adjective: Pillage) Organisms that hunt other animals for a significant portion or the entirety of their sustenance.

Salt: A compound formed when an acid reacts with a base, typically yielding water in the process. The ocean contains various salts commonly referred to as “sea salt.” Table salt primarily consists of sodium and chlorine.

Shell: A typically rigid, protective outer covering that can encase mollusks and crustaceans (like mussels and crabs), bird eggs, or softer tissues needing protection (such as nuts and peanuts). This term can also refer to explosive projectiles like bullets and bombs.

Technology: The application of scientific knowledge for practical objectives, especially in industry, or the devices, processes, and systems that emerge from such applications.

Tendon: The connective tissue that links muscles to bones.

Tool: An object created or procured by a person or other animals for purposes such as accessing food, self-defense, or grooming.