Tale of the Tail     

   Could this be more evidence of intelligent design?

   Lobsters' hard outer armor protects them from predators. A segmented tail propels them through the water. 

   Engineers have yet to develop a material as flexible, yet sturdy, as what God designed for the lobster tail. MIT researchers have explored how the membrane - that covers joints of lobster tails - allows both flexibility and protection. 

   They found that the hydrogel membrane, mostly water, provides as much strength as industrial rubber composites used in car tires, garden hoses and conveyor belts. It protects the lobster's underside along rocky ocean floors. 

   Researchers found they could cut halfway through the membrane and still stretch it as far as an uncut piece without breaking it. 

   When the membrane reached twice its natural length, it stiffened and became progressively tougher, unlike other tough hydrogels. 

   Only a quarter of a millimeter thick, the membrane contains tens of thousands of layers. Each single layer is oriented at the same angle, exactly 36 degrees, offset from the layer of fibers above it.    

   Does that sound like chance?

   While researchers credit evolution, the lead researcher describes the fibers as "guided" architecture. 

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