The Snail’s Tooth That’s Tougher Than Diamond (And Why Engineers Are Freaking Out)
Forget diamond. The toughest material on Earth is the tooth of a limpet — a common sea snail. Its secret? A hierarchical structure that combines hard minerals and soft organic matrix, achieving both hardness and toughness. This discovery could revolutionize manufacturing, from phone screens to airplane wings, by mimicking nature’s crack-stopping labyrinth.