The textile and meat-processing industries produce billions of tons of waste annually in the form of feathers, wool and hair, all of which are rich in keratin—the strong, fibrous protein found in hair ...

Keratin extracted from sheep wool has been found to help protect human teeth. It could be coming to your dentist’s office soon. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate ...

Dental x-ray. Image by Tim Sandle. Dental x-ray. Image by Tim Sandle. Your next toothpaste might be made from your hair, and it could regrow your enamel, according to researchers based at King’s ...

SEAS researchers have discovered the chemical mechanism by which certain salt compounds break down protein waste, like wool and feathers. The discovery enables a gentler and more sustainable protein ...

A new route to making supple, moldable materials from the tough protein keratin could lead to a sustainable replacement for some plastics (Matter 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102039). Keratin forms ...

Dental treatments from sheep’s wool and other hair could be used to coat teeth to repair enamel and prevent tooth decay, according to a new study. After extracting keratin — a protein found in hair, ...