For swimmers looking to gain an edge on the competition, the notion that simply donning a different swimsuit – like a Speedo Fastskin II suit, with a surface purportedly designed to mimic by shark skin – can be the difference between first and last place is a powerful one.
Dangerous, but nothing like shark skin It’s also one that’s almost completely misplaced, said George Lauder, the Henry Bryant Bigelow Professor of Ichthyology.
Experiments conducted in Lauder’s lab, and described in the Feb. 2 issue of The Journal of Experimental Biology, reveal that, while sharks’ sandpaper-like skin does allow the animals to swim faster and more efficiently, the surface of the high-tech swimsuits has no effect when it comes to reducing drag as swimmers move through the water.
To read the full, original article click on this link: High-tech swimsuits not at all like shark skin | ScienceBlog.com
