J R Soc Interface April 2015 PMID 25694539

Extreme strength observed in limpet teeth.

Asa H Barber, Dun Lu, Nicola M Pugno

Mentions

28
Peak: 4 in Jan 2022
across 7 sources since Mar 2019

Extended reach

1,064,481
potential audience

Total likes

31,205

Video views

1,027,896

Mentions per month

Mar 2019 – Aug 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter10 posts
  • News8 articles
  • YouTube3 videos
  • Reddit3 posts
  • Blogs2 articles
  • Bluesky1 posts
  • Facebook1 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Discussions are highly enthusiastic and detail-oriented, with comments like 'more solid than spider silk' and references to the nanostructure of limpet teeth, illustrating strong interest and perceived significance. The tone and choice of words reflect admiration and curiosity about natural nanomaterials' potential to inspire new, stronger synthetic materials.

AgreementStrong agreement

Most discussions affirm the extraordinary strength of limpet teeth, citing scientific data and emphasizing their superior strength compared to materials like spider silk and Kevlar.

InterestHigh interest

Posts express high curiosity and fascination with the topic, mentioning facts about natural materials and their potential applications, indicating strong interest.

EngagementHigh engagement

Participants delve into details about nanostructures, mineral content, and implications, suggesting a deep engagement with the scientific content and discussions around potential uses.

ImpactHigh impact

The emphasis on natural materials surpassing man-made fibers and the mention of future applications highlight the high potential impact the research may have on material science and biomimetics.

Abstract in brief

  • Limpet teeth have a unique nanostructure that combines high volumes of goethite nanofibres within a softer protein matrix, giving them exceptional mechanical strength.
  • Tests show that the tensile strength of limpet teeth ranges from 30 to 65 GPa, surpassing even spider silk and approaching the strength of some manmade fibers, with strength unaffected by sample size.
  • This extraordinary strength is due to the high mineral content and tiny nanofibre sizes, indicating that limpet teeth are naturally optimized to reach the material's theoretical maximum strength limits.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Prof Richard Johnston
@DrRichJohnston · X

Goethite is also the reason limpet teeth (which are on a conveyor belt-like radula) are one of the strongest materials discovered so far. Tiny goethite fibres within a soft protein phase make them super strong for scraping food off rock surfaces https://t.co/U2EGBWnBam https://t.co/dsClklYfuQ https://t.co/PVb9YxzBXz

Jan 3, 2022 · 20 likes · 2 shares · 3,882 followers View post →
Harriet Carroll: Long Covid Scientific Consultancy
@angryhacademic · X

Fun fact: teeth of marine snails (limpets) boast the record for strongest known natural biological material (in terms of tensile strength), outperforming spider silk, & approaching values comparable to the strongest man-made fibres https://t.co/oTxGcTHg98 https://t.co/V3uLuEiyZw

Apr 27, 2024 · 3 likes · 1 share · 8,809 followers View post →
大学院の生物学
@BioHirodai · X

世界最硬の歯を持つ生物を知っていますか?ワニ?ライオン?なんと正解は『貝』です! 貝の仲間の『カサガイ』は鉄を含んだ歯、歯舌をもっています! その強度は航空機製造に用いられるカーボンファイバーに匹敵するほど!でも噛み付いてきたりしないので安心してくださいね? https://t.co/A1TunDyFrk

Oct 6, 2019 · 2 likes · 2 shares · 181 followers View post →
Dr. Jochen L. Leidner (AI professor/advisor)
@jochenleidner · X

Sea snail teeth are made of the strongest naturally-found material known (Barber, Lu and Pugno, 2015) - stronger than kevlar https://t.co/gSx68G9yIs #materials #nature

May 2, 2025 · 1 like · 1,746 followers View post →
Journal d'un Curieux
@journal_curieux · X

@CocoFerrand @MokonaAlabasta @dirtybiology Une première source : https://t.co/FLvzcT9HRi Une autre : https://t.co/vWYvKea9ya Une dernière : https://t.co/2b8XdtEnWH Ce serait plus solide que la soie d'araignée !

Mar 6, 2019 · 1 like · 1 share · 93 followers View post →
Harriet Carroll: Long Covid Scientific Consultancy
@angryhacademic · X

RT @angryhacademic: Fun fact: teeth of marine snails (limpets) boast the record for strongest known natural biological material (in terms o…

Apr 27, 2025 · 1 share · 8,809 followers View post →

All mentions

Ingvar Santry
@santry.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · Bluesky

{ "text": "Limpets test rocks with their teeth their whole lives, but their teeth are stronger. In 2015 (https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2014.1326), it was discovered that they can withstand approximately 5 gigapascals of tensile stress. Roughly 50,000 times higher than […]

Aug 15, 2025 View post →
Dr. Jochen L. Leidner (AI professor/advisor)
@jochenleidner · X

Sea snail teeth are made of the strongest naturally-found material known (Barber, Lu and Pugno, 2015) - stronger than kevlar https://t.co/gSx68G9yIs #materials #nature

May 2, 2025 · 1 like · 1,746 followers View post →
Harriet Carroll: Long Covid Scientific Consultancy
@angryhacademic · X

RT @angryhacademic: Fun fact: teeth of marine snails (limpets) boast the record for strongest known natural biological material (in terms o…

Apr 27, 2025 · 1 share · 8,809 followers View post →
Harriet Carroll: Long Covid Scientific Consultancy
@angryhacademic · X

Fun fact: teeth of marine snails (limpets) boast the record for strongest known natural biological material (in terms of tensile strength), outperforming spider silk, & approaching values comparable to the strongest man-made fibres https://t.co/oTxGcTHg98 https://t.co/V3uLuEiyZw

Apr 27, 2024 · 3 likes · 1 share · 8,809 followers View post →
Ian Leek
@sharkbait12 · X

RT @DrRichJohnston: Goethite is also the reason limpet teeth (which are on a conveyor belt-like radula) are one of the strongest materials…

Jan 3, 2022 · 2 shares · 426 followers View post →
聖
@s_m_3104_ninth_ · X

RT @DrRichJohnston: Goethite is also the reason limpet teeth (which are on a conveyor belt-like radula) are one of the strongest materials…

Jan 3, 2022 · 2 shares · 4,668 followers View post →
Cardiff Curator
@CardiffCurator · X

RT @DrRichJohnston: Goethite is also the reason limpet teeth (which are on a conveyor belt-like radula) are one of the strongest materials…

Jan 3, 2022 · 2 shares · 7,328 followers View post →
Prof Richard Johnston
@DrRichJohnston · X

Goethite is also the reason limpet teeth (which are on a conveyor belt-like radula) are one of the strongest materials discovered so far. Tiny goethite fibres within a soft protein phase make them super strong for scraping food off rock surfaces https://t.co/U2EGBWnBam https://t.co/dsClklYfuQ https://t.co/PVb9YxzBXz

Jan 3, 2022 · 20 likes · 2 shares · 3,882 followers View post →
みっち
@black05monkey · X

RT @BioHirodai: 世界最硬の歯を持つ生物を知っていますか?ワニ?ライオン?なんと正解は『貝』です! 貝の仲間の『カサガイ』は鉄を含んだ歯、歯舌をもっています! その強度は航空機製造に用いられるカーボンファイバーに匹敵するほど!でも噛み付いてきたりしないので安心して…

Oct 6, 2019 · 2 shares · 474 followers View post →
大学院の生物学
@BioHirodai · X

世界最硬の歯を持つ生物を知っていますか?ワニ?ライオン?なんと正解は『貝』です! 貝の仲間の『カサガイ』は鉄を含んだ歯、歯舌をもっています! その強度は航空機製造に用いられるカーボンファイバーに匹敵するほど!でも噛み付いてきたりしないので安心してくださいね? https://t.co/A1TunDyFrk

Oct 6, 2019 · 2 likes · 2 shares · 181 followers View post →
Journal d'un Curieux
@journal_curieux · X

@CocoFerrand @MokonaAlabasta @dirtybiology Une première source : https://t.co/FLvzcT9HRi Une autre : https://t.co/vWYvKea9ya Une dernière : https://t.co/2b8XdtEnWH Ce serait plus solide que la soie d'araignée !

Mar 6, 2019 · 1 like · 1 share · 93 followers View post →
Ultimate Tensile Strength
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doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.1326 (https://doi.org/10.1098%2Frsif.2014.1326). PMC 4387522 (http s://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387522). PMID 25694539 ...

Dec 16, 2025 View →
Ultimate Tensile Strength - Wikipedia | PDF | Ultimate Tensile ...
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doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.1326 (https://doi.org/10.1098%2Frsif.2014.132 6) . PMC 4387522 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387522) . PMID 25694539 ...

Dec 16, 2025 View →
Los dientes más duros -
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Barber, A. H., Lu, D., and Pugno, N. M. (2015). Extreme strength observed in limpet teeth. J. R. Soc. Interface 12, 20141326. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2014.1326 ...

Dec 16, 2025 View →
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Dec 16, 2025 View →
Komodo dragons have iron-coated teeth : r/natureismetal
Reddit

... snails-teeth-180954346/. [Original paper: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2014.1326] · Acrobatic_Rope9641. • 1y ago.

Jul 24, 2024 View →
Limpets excavate rocks to make ocean pellets
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Retrieved from https: //royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsif. 2014.1326 ©2020 Jackie Hildering; The Marine Detective. See the ...

Jan 27, 2020 View →
TIL tooth enamel is harder than steel. It's composed of mineralised ...
Reddit

i bring you LIMPET TEETH composite nano structures. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsif.2014.1326. 1 more reply. [deleted].

Jun 4, 2019 View →
Dette er verdens sterkeste naturlige materiale
Blogs

... 10.1098/rsif.2014.1326. SE OGSÅ. Slik lages edderkoppsilke · Et skritt nærmere skuddsikker vest av edderkoppspinn · Karbonnanorør er 100 ganger ...

Feb 21, 2015 View →
Stretchy limpet teeth are nature's strongest material | New Scientist
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... 10.1098/rsif.2014.1326. Advertisement. Sign up to our weekly newsletter. Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you ...

Feb 18, 2015 View →
Scientists find strongest natural material known to humans ...
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Barber, Dun Lu, Nicola M. Pugno. Extreme strength observed in limpet teeth. Royal Society journal Interface, 2015 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.1326 ...

Feb 18, 2015 View →
Limpet Teeth: The New World's Strongest Material
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Barber, Dun Lu, Nicola M. Pugno – DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.1326 Published 18 February 2015. Here's some music to listen to while you're thinking ...

Feb 18, 2015 View →
Geniales Patent der Natur - wissenschaft.de
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“ Quelle: Royal Society Journal Interface, doi: 10.1098/rsif.2014.1326. © natur.de – Nadja Podbregar. © natur.de. Teilen: Facebook · Twitter ...

Feb 18, 2015 View →
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... 10.1098/rsif.2014.1326). (University of Portsmouth, 18.02.2015 – NPO). 18. Februar 2015. Keine Meldungen mehr verpassen – mit unserem ...

Feb 18, 2015 View →
Limpet teeth set new strength record : r/science
Reddit

Extreme strength observed in limpet teeth. J. R. Soc. Interface, 2015 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.1326 but this is now “Access Denied” and there is ...

Feb 18, 2015 View →