Material as Tough as Steel? The Abalone Fits the Bill

by Charles Petit New York Times, 22 Mar 2005 When Kenneth Vecchio was a boy in the 70's, racing around Atlantic Beach on Long Island, he could not believe how hard it was to break seashells. Now a mechanical and aerospace engineer at the University of California, San Diego, Dr. Vecchio still marvels at seashells, but he now uses them for practical inspiration. His aim is to create synthetic materials that match what nature has cranked out in stupendous quantities. Read the article