Bone-eating 'zombie' worms drill with acid (BBC)
By Ella Davies
Reporter, BBC Nature, Salzburg, Austria
Deep sea worms use acid to eat the bones of seabed skeletons, according to US scientists.
The so-called "zombie worms" of the Osedax family are known to bore into bones and remove nutrients.
Fresh analysis of the root-like tissues the worms use to attach to bones has identified acid-secreting enzymes.
Until now scientists did not understand how the tiny creatures fed on bone, as they lack the body parts needed to "drill" physically.
Dr Sigrid Katz from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego will present the team's research at the Society for Experimental Biology's annual conference.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/18594493
Interesting, but possibly the most unappealing headline ever.
= new reply since forum marked as read
The zombie apocalypse takes over the planet in days unless we all band together and get 'er done.
Remember, although they are slow, they are implacable. Overwhelming Fire power is the only answer. Otherwise we will all be thralls to the zombie overlords.
