Biological materials are typically multifunctional but many have evolved to optimize a chief
mechanical function. These functions include impact or fracture resistance, armor and …

The silicified cell walls of diatoms have inspired the interest of researchers for several
centuries, and our understanding of their properties and formation has developed in synch …

We introduce a microscopic method that determines quantitative optical properties beyond
the optical diffraction limit and allows direct imaging of unstained living biological …

Diatoms are eukaryotic unicellular microalgae with cell walls made of a composite of organic
material, and silica which is often intricately and ornately shaped (Figure 1). Diatoms take up …

Nature's silicon marvel, the diatoms have lately astounded the scientific community with its
intricate designs and lasting durability. Diatoms are a major group of phytoplanktons …

Natural selection and evolution develop a huge amount of biological materials in different
environments (eg lotus in water and opuntia in desert). These biological materials possess …

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are commonly synthesized under harsh conditions
yielding unprocessable powders. Control in their crystallization process and growth has …

Chitin is a globally abundant polymer widely distributed throughout eukaryotes that has
been well characterized in only a few lineages. Diatoms are members of the eukaryotic …

We conducted in situ three-point bending experiments on beams with roughly square cross-
sections, which we fabricated from the frustule of Coscinodiscus sp. We observe failure by …

The species-specifically patterned biosilica cell walls of diatoms are paradigms for biological
mineral morphogenesis and the evolution of lightweight materials with exceptional …