The strongest biological material known to man is no longer spider silk. That's been replaced by the far stronger teeth of that most unobtrusive of all marine snails - the limpet.

Yes, limpets do have teeth. The creatures use their incredibly strong teeth to cling stubbornly onto rocks while at the same time scraping the rock surfaces for the algae it feeds on at high tide. Their super strong teeth also allow them to withstand being swept away by the massive force of huge waves pounding on them.

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Researchers at the University of Portsmouth analyzed the limpet teeth down to the atomic level and also discovered the teeth were found to be the same strength, no matter what the size.

The implications of these findings are huge. Scientists are convinced the structure of the limpets' teeth can be reproduced in high-performance engineering applications.

''Until now we thought that spider silk was the strongest biological material because of its super-strength and potential applications in everything from bullet-proof vests to computer electronics, but now we have discovered that limpet teeth exhibit a strength that is potentially higher", said Professor Asa Barber, who led the study about limpet teeth.

''This discovery means that the fibrous structures found in limpet teeth could be mimicked and used in high-performance engineering applications such as Formula 1 racing cars, the hulls of boats and aircraft structures.

''Engineers are always interested in making these structures stronger to improve their performance or lighter so they use less material.''

The researchers found the limpet's teeth consist of a hard material known as goethite that forms in the limpet as it grows. They also found the fibers of goethite are just the right size to make-up a resilient composite structure.

Limpet is a common name applied to aquatic snails with conical shells resembling the conical Asian hat such as those associated with Vietnamese farmers.