Susan has used principles of theoretical physics to understand various systems ranging from sand to pearls to glasses to quantum dots used to make quantum computers. Seashells, pearls and chalk are all made of calcium carbonate. Why are shells strong while chalk crumbles? Susan has investigated how an organism makes seashells so strong by controlling the structure of a combination of brittle calcium carbonate with a small amount of soft organic material. A better understanding of these processes enables scientists and engineers to combine brittle and flexible components to create new composite materials highly resistant to fracture.

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