article_snippet: And in a series of experiments, Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Turin coated cloth in the DNA  from herring sperm cells and found the DNA   converts to a ceramic-like material when exposed to extreme heat.
article_snippet: DNA was thought to be a delicate and easily damaged material.
article_snippet: Speaking to Mail Online, he said: 'DNA has a peculiar chemical structure that is intumescent-like. '
article_snippet: Biologists have known for some time that DNA is extremely sensitive to heat as it the helical structure can deform out of shape when it is heated even gently.
article_snippet: And in a more recent paper, published in the journal Polymer Degradation and Stability, Professor Malucelli and his colleagues found that DNA changes chemically to have this effect.
article_snippet: For the study Researchers behind the work used DNA extracted from the sperm of herring (pictured above) to protect pieces of cotton .
article_snippet: So-called deoxyribose groups in DNA release water when they are set alight and form a gel that chars and acts as a protective shield to the rest of the material.
article_snippet: This process is known as an 'itnumescent effect' The deoxyribose groups in the DNA release water when they are set alight and form a foaming gel that chars and acts as a protective shield to the rest of the material.
article_snippet: In cells DNA binds DNA together to form chromosomes (shown above) but when heated DNA rapidly denatures .
highlights_snippet: DNA breaks down into a foam that chars into a ceramic-like material .
  