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Nature Nanotechnology 3, 135–136 (1 March 2008) | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.45

Nanobiotechnology: Putting cobalt on the menu

Michael Winklhofer

What do bones and teeth have in common with mollusc shells and sea-urchin spines? They are all products of biomineralization — a widespread phenomenon that involves the selective uptake of elements from the environment and their incorporation as minerals into functional structures in living organisms. One of the most remarkable examples of this phenomenon is the internal compass that allows so-called magnetic bacteria to swim along the Earth's magnetic field lines.