The sticky, slimy tongues of chameleons and salamanders may not sound like a great inspiration for engineering projects or medical innovations. More recently, however, he became interested in the animals that use their tongues to hunt them. The resulting study, published on September 8 in the journal Current Biology analyzes over a decade’s worth of video documentation of salamander and chameleon tongue utilization. After spotting their prey and taking aim, the animals squeeze musculature inside their mouths to propel a tapered skeletal rod inside their tongues. Deban and Zeng say they are already having discussions with engineers about biomedical applications, including tiny devices armed with artificial ballistic tongues that clear blood clots.