Engineers uncover the secrets of fish fins

---

A new study has uncovered the engineering secrets behind what makes fish fins so strong yet flexible. The research could one day lead to new designs for robotic surgical tools or even airplane wings that change their shape with the push of a button.

New research led by the University of Colorado Boulder has uncovered the engineering secrets behind what makes fish fins so strong yet flexible. The team's insights could one day lead to new designs for robotic surgical tools or even airplane wings that change their shape with the push of a button.

The researchers published their results Aug. 11 in the journal Science Robotics.

Francois Barthelat, senior author of the study, noted that fins are remarkable because they can achieve feats of dexterity even though they don't contain a single muscle. (Fish move these structures by twitching sets of muscles located at the base of the fins).

News Source