Plural of chitin; a tough, protective substance that forms the outer skeleton of insects, crustaceans, and spiders.
From Greek 'chiton' meaning 'tunic' or 'garment,' because chitin forms an outer protective covering like clothing; the scientific term was coined in the 1800s.
Chitin is the second-most abundant natural polymer on Earth after cellulose, yet most people have never heard of it—it's the reason insect shells are so hard and why shrimp shells crunch.
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