Natural Superglue
“But take careful heed to… love the Lord your God… to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart…”[Joshua 22:5]
Sandcastle worms live along the shallow seas off the California coast that stretches from Baja, California in the south to Sonoma County in the north. These tiny sea creatures are also known as honeycomb worms because they build clusters of tube-shaped homes in colonies. The micro-cities are situated in places where wave action will swirl up tiny pieces of sand and broken bits of sea shells. The feathery worms catch these particles and then, like miniature masons, cement them one grain at a time to the tube opening. To enable them to do this, God has created these little creatures with the perfect formula for producing a sturdy underwater adhesive. After catching a grain of sand, the worm will secrete two little dabs of glue onto the particle, then stick it onto the end of the tube. It holds it there for about 25 seconds, wiggling it a little to see if the glue is set, and then it lets go. This amazing glue is designed to set up and harden within 30 seconds after the worm secretes it.
One grain of sand at a time these clever creatures build big, reeflike colonies that look like stacks of organ pipes. Now, after years of studying the sandcastle worm, scientists from the University of Utah have succeeded in duplicating their miraculous adhesive and invented underwater super glue. Doctors have long sought a medical adhesive to repair moist bones shattered in accidents or battlefield injuries. The traditional method of repairing shattered bones is to use mechanical connectors like wires, pins, nails, and screws for support until they grow together and can bear weight. Up until now there has never been glue that would work in the wet environment of the body during surgery. The new glue will help doctors repair bone. After the bone re-grows, the nontoxic glue gradually dissolves.
Did you know the Bible speaks of a super glue that will keep families together? “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). The Bible word “join” comes from the Hebrew word “daw-bak,” which means “cling” or “adhere” – in other words, glue! God’s super glue is what we need to build homes that will last for eternity.
