Based in Brazil, Fernanda Ferreira is a science writer who covers a range of STEM (and occasionally non-STEM) topics, from textile conservation to vaccine stockpiles.
“Not just anyone has these lying around,” Matheus Fernandes says as he puts a cardboard box down on the table. “These” are the skeletons of three glass sponges, commonly called Venus’ Flower Basket, each inside its own labeled plastic bag. The skeletons on display exhibit a simple tubular architecture that consists of fibrous building blocks organized into a square lattice structure with diagonal reinforcements. The resulting design is lightweight yet robust, and it has intrigued biologists and the general public for more than 150 years.
