Snail mucus, long valued in cosmetics for its anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties, is primarily composed of water, with mucins and complex carbohydrates providing its slimy texture. A team of German scientists has now identified the key ingredients that allow snails to produce mucus with varying mechanical properties: collagen and calcium. Their research, published in Science, focused on the grove snail (Cepaea nemoralis), which secretes five distinct types of mucus. These include a lubricant for locomotion, an adhesive glue for sticking to surfaces, and an epiphragm layer containing calcite that seals the shell during hibernation.