Beneath the peaceful surface of Cockburn Sound (Derbal Nara), south of Perth, millions of tiny marine engineers are hard at work. A project is harnessing the remarkable abilities of the humble mussel ...

Marine mussels employ a suite of biomechanical strategies to attach to and persist on dynamic shorelines. Central to these strategies is the secretion of byssal threads, proteinaceous filaments that ...

A study has found microplastics, even from biodegradable packaging, can weaken their ability to produce byssal threads meaning they are unable to cling to rocks, ropes, or form mussel beds.

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today. Listen 2:09 Mussels can cling to ...