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Nacre

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

Colorful nacre sticks, a natural material found in some seashells.

What is Nacre?

Nacre, also called mother-of-pearl, is a very special and beautiful material made by some molluscs. It is the shiny, colorful layer you find inside the shells of many sea creatures. Nacre makes shells strong and flexible, and it sparkles in the light.

You can find nacre in bivalves, gastropods, and cephalopods. It is the main part of pearls and gives them their lovely shine. Inside a pearl oyster or a freshwater pearl mussel, nacre creates a rainbow of colors.

Nacre is made of tiny, thin plates of aragonite, a type of calcium carbonate. These plates overlap like bricks and can move a little, which makes nacre very strong. It can bend without breaking and protect the shells of sea creatures.

Where Do We Find Nacre?

People love nacre for its beauty and strength. It comes from the shells of pearl oysters, freshwater pearl mussels, and abalone. In the past, shells from the green turban snail and other sea snails were also used.

Nacre is used to make beautiful things, like jewelry, wall coverings, and even parts of musical instruments. Its shine and color change make it very special and fun to look at.

Images

A microscopic view showing the layered structure of nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl.
A close-up view of the layered structure of mother of pearl, showing its natural pattern under an electron microscope.
A fossilized nautiloid shell preserved with colorful mother-of-pearl, showcasing the oldest known example of this special material on Earth.
Seashells from Shell Island in North Wales, showing various types of marine bivalves and gastropods.
A colorful mosaic artwork made of shell pieces inside the historic Topkapı Palace in Istanbul, Turkey.
A beautifully engraved mother of pearl pendant from the Solomon Islands, collected in the 1800s.
A beautiful example of mother of pearl, a natural material made by oysters.
Microscopic ocean plant called Coccolithus pelagicus, found in the North Atlantic.
A decorative mother-of-pearl caviar spoon with an engraved silver handle.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Nacre, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.