Scientists have crafted a fake rhino horn out of horse hair, in an effort to stop poachers hunting down the endangered species. In Chinese medicine, rhino horn is believed to have many benefits - including working as an aphrodisiac. Despite the crushed horn often being ground up with Viagra, the demand for rhino horn remains undimmed, continuing to drive poaching with devastating effect for the few populations left in the wild. The rhino horn trade critically challenges the survival of one of the planet's most endangered animals and the fakes are being developed in the hope that they will undermine the market for the commodity. They found that tail hairs from horses end up with a microstructure that, when cut and polished, is remarkable similar to that of a real horn.

Source: Daily Mail November 08, 2019 10:08 UTC