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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

The surprise hidden in the teeth of the ‘wandering meatloaf’

The teeth of a marine mollusc hold the mineral santabarbaraite, which has been found in no other living thing.
Mosaic image showing rows of sharp teeth in a mollusc's radula.

The teeth of Cryptochiton stelleri are among the hardest organic objects known in nature. Credit: Northwestern University

The discovery of a rare iron mineral in the teeth of an alga-eating marine creature has inspired inks for 3D-printing strong, lightweight materials.

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Nature 594, 153 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01478-x

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