Oyster Shells Inspire Scientists To Create Glass That’s Much Harder to Shatter

Glass that duplicates mother-of-pearl’s structure doesn't break, and is pretty, too.

By Roni Dengler
Jun 28, 2019 12:07 PMJan 24, 2020 1:21 AM
Oyster Shell - Shutterstock
(Credit: Lizard/Shutterstock)

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Crack open an oyster shell and the inner face shimmers in a rainbow of kaleidoscopic colors. This smooth material, known as mother-of-pearl, is beautiful and resilient — so resilient that it has inspired the creation of virtually shatterproof glass. 

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