Nacre — the iridescent part of mollusk shells — is a poster child for biologically inspired design. Despite being made of brittle chalk, the intricately layered microstructure of nacre gives it a remarkable ability to resist the spread of cracks, a material property known as toughness. Engineers looking to design tougher materials have long sought to mimic this kind of natural layering, which is also found in conch shells, deer antlers and elsewhere. But a new study by Brown University researchers serves as a caution: Not all layered structures are so tough.

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