Sharks are covered in scales called dermal denticles, near-invisible collagen structures made of the same material as their teeth. They are aligned parallel to the flow of water, and are ribbed with longitudinal grooves, making the surface of the shark more streamlined as it moves through the water. Recent research at the University of Alabama suggests that the denticles may increase the shark’s efficiency through another mechanism. The scales are loosely embedded in the skin, tethered with rubber-band-like tendons, allowing each one to move independently. It is thought that this allows them
...more
