Scientists Create Fake Rhino Horn

A team of British and Chinese scientists recently came up with a method to create fake rhinoceros horns.

Their discovery is part of a novel strategy to disrupt the illegal trade in rhino horns, potentially saving the lives of countless animals.

Unlike the horns of other animals, rhinoceros horns are made neither of bone nor enamel.

Instead, they are made of hair that grows on the animal's nose, which is glued together by secretions from its body.

Studying the composition of rhinoceros horns,  the scientists found that they could make convincing fakes using hair of another animal.

In the end, they chose horse hair because the horse is a close cousin of the rhinoceros.

To create the fake horns, researchers first stripped the horse hair of its rough outer layer using lithium bromide.

This made the hair resemble the smooth strands of a rhino horn more closely.

Next, they bundled the hair strands together in a tube and glued them with a substance made from silk.

The substance behaves similarly to the natural compounds that act as a glue for the rhino horn.

The material is so similar to the real thing that it is nearly indistinguishable even under a microscope.

Demand for rhino horns has skyrocketed in countries like China, where they are used as a fever remedy in traditional medicine.

The team hopes their fakes will flood the black market, confusing both buyer and sellers.

They believe this would reduce prices, and therefore, remove the incentive to kill the rhinos.

However, a number of conservation groups believe that the plan could backfire.

They warn that increasing the availability of rhino horns could stimulate the market.

They maintain that reducing demand by educating people is the best way to save these majestic creatures.

 

• rhino = rhinoceros  raɪ|│nɑːsərəs 코뿔소  novel ˈnɑːvl 형용사 흔히 호감 (이전에 볼 수 없던) 새로운, 신기한 / (장편) 소설  disrupt dɪsˈrʌpt  방해하다, 지장을 주다

• secretion sɪˈkriːʃn 분비물   convincing kənˈvɪnsɪŋ 설득력 있는, (승리 등이) 확실한 (↔unconvincing)  convince kənˈvɪns 납득시키다, 확신시키다, 설득하다

• lithium ˈlɪθiəm  리튬(알칼리 금속 원소)  bromide |broʊmaɪd 브로마이드(인화)지  strand strænd (실전선머리카락 등의) 가닥[올/줄]

• indistinguishable ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbl 구분이 안 되는  skyrocket |skaɪrɑːkɪt 급등하다  remedy ˈremədi 해결[개선]책 (=solution) 

• incentive ɪnˈsentɪv 어떤 행동을 장려하기 위한) 장려[우대]책 (↔disincentive)  backfire ˌbækˈfaɪə 역효과를 낳다  stimulate ˈstɪmjuleɪt 자극[격려]하다, 활발하게 하다

• availability əvèiləbíləti 유효성, 유용성, 효용, (입수) 가능성,  [pl.] 이용할 수 있는 사람[것]  maintain meɪnˈteɪn  유지하다, 주장하다 (=insist)

• majestic məˈdʒestɪk 장엄한, 위풍당당한 (=awe-inspiring, splendid)  majesty  ˈmædʒəsti 장엄함, 위풍당당함 /  폐하, 왕권