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5. THEY MIGHT BE THE INSPIRATION FOR CUPID.
A snail’s love dart. Image Credit: Joris M. Koene and Hinrich Schulenburg via
Wikipedia //
CC BY 2.0
One researcher
argues that the myth of Cupid’s arrow might come from the mating rituals of
Helix aspersa, a garden snail. Some of these snails shoot “love darts” at the object of their affections, containing mucus that increases the chances of their sperm surviving (snails are hermaphrodites, and both individuals receive sperm during mating). However, in earlier times, people believed that these snot rockets were gifts of calcium or were an aphrodisiac, and McGill University’s Ron Chase
argues that this might the inspiration behind Cupid’s desire-inducing quiver.
6. THEY’VE INSPIRED MEDICAL ADHESIVES.
Researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital and MIT have
developed an adhesive that mimics the stickiness of a slug’s slime, the same gel that allows marine snails to cling to rocks in the surf. The medical glue is designed for use in repairing heart defects, and would stick to even jagged surfaces where traditional sutures might leak. So far, it’s only been tested on pig hearts.
7. THEIR MUCUS MIGHT IMPROVE YOUR SKIN.
Image Credit: iStock
Some
studies have found that snail mucus might be useful to help
wounds heal, possibly by triggering an immune response that helps skin cells regenerate.