Classical nucleation and crystal growth theories describe how nuclei form, become stable
after reaching a critical size and then enlarge through monomer attachment. More than two …

Animals precisely control the morphology and assembly of guanine crystals to produce
diverse optical phenomena in coloration and vision. However, little is known about how …

Organisms evolve mechanisms that regulate the properties of biogenic crystals to support a
wide range of functions, from vision and camouflage to communication and thermal …

Biopolymers offer vast potential for renewable and sustainable devices. While nature
mastered the use of biopolymers to create highly complex 3D structures and optimized their …

Controlling the morphology of crystalline materials is challenging, as crystals have a strong
tendency toward thermodynamically stable structures. Yet, organisms form crystals with …

Many spectacular optical phenomena in animals are produced by reflective assemblies of
guanine crystals. The crystals comprise planar H-bonded layers of π-stacked molecules with …

Biomineralization is an important strategy for constructing mineral materials with excellent
structure and properties. Organic biominerals exquisitely manipulate light, whereas …

Background Guanine crystals are organic biogenic crystals found in many organisms. Due
to their exceptionally high refractive index, they contribute to structural color and are …

Many animals undergo changes in functional colors during development, requiring the
replacement of integument or pigment cells. A classic example of defensive color switching …

Guanine crystals are frequently encountered in nature in the β-polymorph to create structural
colors, to enhance the vision of creatures, and for camouflage. Unfortunately, it is …