Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I am preparing to do an independent science research project using different sources of allantoin, including common garden snails, comfrey root and egg whites. I am planning on injuring earth worms, since they regenerate quickly, applying the different sources of allantoin to separate groups and determining which allantoin source works the best. I need lots of help getting started! On procedure, where I can get helix aspersa mullers (because they tend to be the best snail producer of allantoin according to my research) and comfrey root. Thank you!

Hi,

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think you should consider re-thinking your project. Earthworms have a very different sort of skin than humans have, so your results are not going to be generalizable to humans--which I think is what you want. Moreover, I think you would need special permission in order to do this experiment since you are planning to injure animals and cause them pain--even if they are invertebrates. So, I would start by speaking with your science teacher about what permissions you would need before you did this experiment.

Thank you for your response. I asked my teacher and upon speaking to her supervisor, she said that it was okay to cut the worms. I think that more research (at least more than I can do in a year) needs to be done before snails, which I have found to be a big carrier of parasites, are ever put on humans, especially for a cosmetic purpose.

Does anyone else have any ideas?