SHATTERED phone screens may be a thing of the past after the creation of an “unbreakable” glass inspired by seashells.
The new material is five times more resistant to fractures than normal glass, scientists say.
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Bio-engineers developed the “strongest and toughest” glass known after studying the inner layer of mollusc shells — known as nacre or mother of pearl.
Instead of shattering on impact, they say the material has the resiliency of plastic and could be used to improve mobile screens.
Dr Allen Ehrlicher, of McGill University, Montreal, said: “Nature is a master of design. Amazingly, nacre has the rigidity of a stiff material and the durability of a soft material, giving it the best of both worlds.
“This produces exceptional strength, making it 3,000 times tougher than the materials that compose it.”
He added “flexible glass” is a lost invention from the time of Roman emperor Tiberius Caesar, 42BC-37AD.
After the inventor presented a bowl made from it to Tiberius and showed it could not be broken, the emperor had the man killed as he feared it would devalue gold and silver.
Dr Ehrlicher added he was glad his team’s creation did not “lead to execution”.
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