While slime may merely irritate a human enemy, it can suffocate underwater predators by clogging their gills. Again, we’re not talking about a tiny bit of slime, but as much as a milk jug full, which is about how much slime a single hagfish can produce at one time. One of the proteins in the slime is a long strand that when secreted is wound up tight like a ball, but as soon as it hits the water, it unravels. This unraveling plays a crucial role in the slime’s swelling in volume as it enters water.
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Amazingly gross, actually:
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