Overview

• Scientists from the University of Geneva found that crocodile head scales form through mechanical skin folding during embryonic development, not through genetic programming.
• The study used advanced imaging techniques, hormone treatments, and 3D computer modeling to investigate how skin growth and stiffness influence scale patterns.
• Mechanical processes, such as compressive folding caused by skin growing faster than underlying tissues, result in the irregular polygonal scale shapes seen in crocodiles.
• The research demonstrated that small changes in the growth rate and stiffness of crocodile skin can explain the diverse scale patterns across different crocodilian species.
• This discovery highlights the significant role of physical forces in shaping biological structures and has broader implications for understanding skin mechanics in other contexts, including cancer research and aging.