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These articles were published in our popular science magazine: Inside Diamond
Our eyes are not just windows into the soul, they are also windows onto the world. Of all the senses, sight arguably gives us the most mastery over our environment, helping us to connect with the people and landscapes that surround us.
The basic architecture of our eyes is created by a structural protein called collagen. The most abundant protein in our body, collagen is essentially the glue that holds us together – that’s why it’s so popular as a tool for cosmetic surgery: it gives the skin strength – helpful if you want to prevent wrinkles.
But collagen has a much more important purpose, particularly when it comes to our eyes: it determines the shape and resilience of our eyeballs. Because of the pull of the muscles that move our eyes and internal pressure from the fluid that fills our eyeballs, our eyes are under continuously changing forces.
Thomas Sorensen, Principal Beamline Scientist on I02
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