May 26, 2006

Say goodbye to Elmer?

CBC.ca posted a story yesterday [source article removed] about an incredible discovery by a Canadian scientist in the US. he “has discovered bacteria that produce the world’s strongest glue.”

“Bacteria covering a quarter are able to hold the weight equivalent of an elephant, Brun said.”

You might be saying goodbye to Elmer in a couple of years:

“Caulobacter crescentus bacteria produce the adhesive substance, which researchers believe could replace dozens of glues currently on the market.”

But then again, sometimes one doesn’t want something that strong for daily practical purposes. I seem to remember my godfather repairing my broken sandal with Goop. Goodbye Goop? I guess we’ll find out. It could be a very environmentally-friendly alternative to chemicals.