Why seashells' mineral forms differently in seawater

For almost a century, scientists have been puzzled by a process that is crucial to much of the life in Earth's oceans: Why does calcium carbonate, the tough material of seashells and corals, sometimes take the form of calcite, ...

How ionic: Scaffolding is in charge of calcium carbonate crystals

Nature packs away carbon in chalk, shells and rocks made by marine organisms that crystallize calcium carbonate. Now, research suggests that the soft, organic scaffolds in which such crystals form guide crystallization by ...

A crystal clear view of chalk formation

(PhysOrg.com) -- It has a beautiful, but also an unpleasant side: crystallization determines the shape of precious stones, but also causes the lime scale in washing machines. How this comes about, has been known for a long ...

From sea urchin skeleton to solar cell

Researchers at AMOLF have found a way of making calcium carbonate structures suitable for use in electronics. They do this by modifying the composition of the material so that it becomes a semiconductor without losing its ...

Atom-by-atom growth chart for shells helps decode past climate

For the first time scientists can see how the shells of tiny marine organisms grow atom-by-atom, a new study reports. The advance provides new insights into the mechanisms of biomineralization and will improve our understanding ...

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