I have been thinking about that.

I have a suspicion that we are going to be studying mechanisms like the one that is theorized in the article more and more as time goes on as* we are looking for microscopic solutions to microscopic problems.

In the Formic Wars (Part of the Ender's Game-Verse) a lot of time is spent discussing alien ship construction. Humans use macro-processes at all stages from raw mineral rich rock to refined metal product to final finished product (ploughshares, guns, spaceships). The Formics by comparison use micro-processes right up until the very end of their construction process. Spoiler Basically they use small worms and bacteria to extract and chemically refine pure minerals from raw rock, a micro-animal akin to a coral polyp to extrude and shape minerals into the desired shape. This is a super abridged version of the more nuanced process but that's the gist of it. Essentially you seed an asteroid with these bad boys and come back a few months later to to pick up the hull and essential components of your new starship. Slap an engine in it, fill it up with atmosphere and a crew and away you go.

So this is the far-fantasy science fiction example. With a bit less creativity I could imagine somehow playing with the chemistry of the different protein fibers that the hagfish cells produce and changing the properties of the mucus. Change its conductivity or thermal properties, make it even stickier or completely free-flowing or use it as a carrier for some other chemical or microbe, I'm just spitballing.

Just learning more about this one nasty lil slimy fish and asking the five year olds question of 'Why is it so slimy?' in a thorough way might end up teaching us a ton about biochemical engineering.