Elegant_degradation
Elegant degradation is a term used in engineering to describe what occurs to machines which are subject to constant, repetitive stress.
Externally, such a machine maintains the same appearance to the user, appearing to function properly. Internally, the machine slowly weakens over time. Eventually, unable to withstand the stress, it eventually breaks down.[1] Compared to graceful degradation, the operational quality does not decrease at all, but the breakdown may be just as sudden.[2]
This term's meaning varies depending on context and field, and may not be strictly considered exclusive to engineering. For instance, this is used as a mechanism in the food industry as applied in the degradation of lignin, cellulose, pentosan, and polymers, among others.[3] The concept is also used to extract chemicals such as the elegant degradation of Paederus fuscipes to obtain pederin and hemiacetal pseuodopederin.[4] In this process degradation is induced by heat. A play with the same name also used it as a metaphor for the current state of the world.[1][5]
