Devoted to fibrous composites in biology, emphasis is placed on how chemistry creates architecture outside cells.
1. Defining the subject; 2. The occurrence of fibrous composites; 3. Properties of natural plywoods; 4. Biomimickry: making liquid crystalline models of helicoids and other plywoods; 5. How is fibre orientation controlled?; 6. Unifying themes; References; Index.
This listing of animal and plant structures with different arrangements of fibrous composites is interspersed with interesting and relevant snippets of information on a variety of biological mechanisms and functions...successfully supports the author's claim that extracellular composites play a more dynamic role in development biology than is generally appreciated. Angus J.F. Russel, Times Higher Education Supplement As usual, Neville is generous with his ideas and produces blueprints for a dozen or so projects, some to be pursued in well-known holiday resorts. This book is such a good read that I wouldn't mind taking it along too." J.F.V. Vincent, Science