For arthropod fans: Nature make the best body armor:

[beam me up scottie]

National Geographic http://lava.nationalgeographic.com/pod/">POTD for yesterday:

A female Macleay's specter stick insect pauses on a branch at the Cincinnati Zoo. Indigenous to Australia, these large, well-defended arthropods are covered in tiny spikes and can reach 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length.

Australia has more than their fair share of the most fascinating creatures on the planet.

[Fovea]

1. That is one well done photo

I'd be proud if I shot it.

[beam me up scottie]

2. I know, just wow.

I've got some great close ups of spiders, but this just beats the hell out of anything I've ever seen.

[Indenturedebtor]

3. Has anyone ever tried to make things out of chitin? n/t

[beam me up scottie]

4. No, but after reading about it I wish I could have that instead of human skin.

Easily burned, pale, freckled skin that will eventually wrinkle and take on the texture of an ostrich's feet...

[Indenturedebtor]

5. I'd rather just have one to put on :P Wouldn't feel anything with chitin for skin n/t

[beam me up scottie]

6. Oh, so cool!

We could do anything...

[Indenturedebtor]

7. Genetically engineer some bacteria to ooze chitin

A chitin molecule with some sort of extra atom that when you remove it with a solvent the chitin solidifies in your mold :woohoo:

I want a bug suit :D

[beam me up scottie]

8. Presto! Instant super hero/villain!

Organic body armor-not just for insects anymore...

[Indenturedebtor]

9. YES and put some artificial muscle fiber in there too....

We're going to take over the world! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAH!

[beam me up scottie]

10. My super power of choice was always the ability to fly but I like this better.

We could make our own wings, too.

[Indenturedebtor]

11. I already have the wings handled...

You would be amazed at what you can do with gladbags and wire hangers!

And my wife is convinced that I was born with the amazing powers of a stingbug!

[beam me up scottie]

12. LOL!

You must be a blast at Halloween!

[TheMadMonk]

13. Yes. It;s called Shellac. nt

[Tumbulu]

15. grind it up and bind it with something and it's called glucosamine.

The vets started recommending it for horses in the early 90's and then people started using it for creaky joints.

[Enthusiast]

14. It's a fact!

"Australia has more than their fair share of the most fascinating creatures on the planet."

And venomous to the extremes. Weird stuff, like the Duck billed Platypus. A strange stage of the planets biological history, almost frozen in time. Isolated for millions of years, kind of like Madagascar.

[beam me up scottie]

16. It's like nature on lsd.

Just look at that insect, it looks like a freakin alien.

I can only imagine what the first non-native explorers must have thought of Australia's fauna.