# I want me some bulletproof skin

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-me-some-bulletproof-skin/593625>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 22, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-me-some-bulletproof-skin/593625 "2011-08-22T06:01:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-me-some-bulletproof-skin/593625/1 "2011-08-22T06:01:05Z")

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Neither really mundane or pointless, [they can now make bulletproof skin](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BULLETPROOF_SKIN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-08-21-21-17-24)!

> [@](#):
>
> Researcher Randy Lewis and his collaborators gained worldwide attention recently when they found a commercially viable way to manufacture silk fibers using goats and silkworms that had spider genes inserted into their makeup.
> 
> Spider silk is one of the strongest fibers known and five times stronger than steel. Lewis’ fibers are not that strong but much stronger than silk spun by ordinary worms.
> 
> With Lewis’ help, Dutch artist Jalila Essaidi conducted an experiment weaving a lattice of human skin cells and silk that was capable of stopping bullets fired at reduced speeds.

Not only that, it may someday lead to artificial ligaments and tendons that are actually stronger than the real thing!

ASAP I want a new body with bulletproof skin and super-tendons (super-ligaments too!) so I can continue to enjoy extreme sports and so [I can make the guys on Jackass look like total pussies](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg7nuxejWtQ)!

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**Author:** ![Registered\_at\_Last](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc79bd/32.png) [@Registered\_at\_Last](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Registered_at_Last)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-me-some-bulletproof-skin/593625/2 "2011-08-22T18:38:16Z")

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> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#):
>
> ASAP I want a new body with bulletproof skin and super-tendons (super-ligaments too!)

But as anyone who has modified an off road vehicle (or been married to someone who has 😉 ) can tell you … if you replace one OEM part with a stronger one, then the next weakest link will break next time and usually with worse results than if the original part had just failed again. I would be more than a little nervous about what the next part to fail would be if I installed super-ligaments (exploding femurs anyone?)

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-me-some-bulletproof-skin/593625/3 "2011-08-22T21:48:59Z")

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> [@Registered\_at\_Last](#):
>
> But as anyone who has modified an off road vehicle (or been married to someone who has 😉 ) can tell you … if you replace one OEM part with a stronger one, then the next weakest link will break next time and usually with worse results than if the original part had just failed again. I would be more than a little nervous about what the next part to fail would be if I installed super-ligaments (exploding femurs anyone?)

Well, presumably the bulletproof skin would keep the exploding femur from scattering bone fragments everywhere. Then I’d just get it replaced with a nice titanium femur.