The UT scientists went through 100 million viruses before determining which worked best with particular materials. Only proteins that bound themselves tightly to the inorganic material were cloned. Belcher compares it to rounding up 100 million people who try to unlock the same door until they find the one with the right key. The key already exists in nature. Constructed of calcium carbonate crystals that are siphoned from seawater and held together with a mortar of proteins and complex sugars, abalone shells are as strong or stronger than advanced synthetic ceramics.
Mammals produce biocomposite materials such as bone and cartilage.
Nonvertebrate sea creatures surround themselves with shells made of biocomposites. Whales' teeth are made of baleen, a product that strongly resembles plastic and was once used for whalebone corsets. Human bones, teeth, fingernails and hair are biocomposites as well. These materials are now the starting point for modern scientists. Nanos is the Greek word for dwarf and refers to the construction of highly miniaturized devices.