Innovative Ideas and Unexpected Origins

Think of a shark and you'll probably conjure up images of Jaws, but it turns out their skin is also covered in tiny teeth. Hannah and Dara investigate the incredible properties of these so-called dermal denticles, to find out whether they could be replicated at a nanoscale to increase vehicle speeds. They learn that while sharks might look like they have beautifully sleek surfaces, up close their skin is covered in something extremely rough and textured, a property that helps them swim up to 12 percent faster. And it's already inspiring airlines to design ultra-thin films that can reduce drag and increase efficiency.

Contributors

Dr Jess Wade Professor Manish Tiwari

Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Sasha Feachem

A BBC Studios Audio Production