Underwater surfaces can get grimy as they accumulate dirt, algae and bacteria, a process scientists call fouling. But furry mammals like beavers and otters that spend most of their lives wet manage to avoid getting their fur slimy. These antifouling abilities come, in part, from one of fur’s unique properties — each hair can bend and flex as an animal moves.
Andrew Dickerson, an assistant professor of mechanical, aerospace and biomedical engineering, studies fluid dynamics, or how liquids behave. Recently his team researched how different types of animal fur are influenced underwater and with the fouling process. Read more at The Conversation.
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