[originaltext]M: Hi, Sue.W: Hello, Jill, how are you?M: I’m fine. Did you wat

M: Hi, Sue.
W: Hello, Jill, how are you?
M: I’m fine. Did you watch the TV special about barnacles last night?
W: No, I missed it. What did you learn about them?
M: They glue themselves to rocks in the ocean, shortly after birth. They also stay in the same place forever.
W: Right, have you ever tried removing one of these things? It would be easier to chip the rock away than to get the barnacles off.
M: Exactly, and that’s why scientists are trying to figure out what the barnacles glue is made of. It’s considered one of the strongest adhesives in nature.
W: And it would have the advantage of being able to work on wet surfaces too.
M: Precisely, and because it’s natural protein, it probably wouldn’t be harmful to people like so many synthetic glues in use today.
W: Think of all the ways in which doctors and dentists could use such a glue to mend broken bones and fasten false teeth.
M: There could be countless uses. Scientists hope to learn soon exactly how the glue is made, so that people can make use of it.
W: That’s good news for the general public. I hope it won’t take long for the new glue to be put into use.