Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) biomineralizing organisms have played major roles in the
history of life and the global carbon cycle during the past 541 Ma. Both marine diversification …

Biomineralized composites, which are usually composed of microscopic mineral building
blocks organized in 3D intercrystalline organic matrices, have evolved unique structural …

Biominerals are organic–mineral composites formed by living organisms. They are the
hardest and toughest tissues in those organisms, are often polycrystalline, and their …

Global climate change threatens the oceans as anthropogenic carbon dioxide causes ocean
acidification and reduced carbonate saturation. Future projections indicate under saturation …

A distinct nanogranular fine structure is shared by a wealth of biominerals from several
species, classes and taxa. This nanoscopic organization affects the properties and behavior …

Biomineralization is an evolutionarily ancient phenomenon and one of the fundamental
biological processes by which living organisms produce minerals with multifunctional …

Biogenic minerals are often reported to be harder and tougher than their geological
counterparts. However, quantitative comparison of their mechanical properties, particularly …

The degree to which biological control is exercised compared to physical control of the
organization of biogenic materials is a central theme in biomineralization. We show that the …

Unlike crystalline atomic and ionic solids, texture development due to crystallographically
preferred growth in colloidal crystals is less studied. Here we investigate the underlying …

Mollusk shells protect the animals that form and inhabit them. They are composites of
minerals and organics, with diverse mesostructures, including nacre, prismatic calcite …