calcium carbonate
How seashells get their strength
Seashells and lobster claws are hard to break, but chalk is soft enough to draw on sidewalks. Though all three are made of calcium carbonate crystals, the hard…
Rapid plankton growth in ocean seen as sign of carbon dioxide loading
A microscopic marine alga is thriving in the North Atlantic to an extent that defies scientific predictions, suggesting swift environmental change as a result…
Mother-of-pearl's genesis identified in mineral's transformation
Among the most intriguing biominerals is nacre, or mother-of-pearl — the silky, iridescent, tougher-than-rock composite that lines the shells of some mollusks…
Tiny carbon-capturing motors may help tackle rising carbon dioxide levels
The proof of concept study represents a promising route to mitigate the buildup of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas in the environment, said researchers….
A more acidic ocean will bend the mermaid's wineglass
The creature in question is Acetabularia acetabulum, commonly called the mermaid's wineglass. Reaching a height of just a few inches, this single-celled alga…
Biotech materials made simple – crystal structures altered by a single protein
Scientists in Haifa and Saarbrücken have now succeeded in replicating the combination of calcium carbonate and biopolymeric compounds which nature took…