Diatoms are single-celled algae organisms, around 30 to 100 millionths of a meter in diameter, that are ubiquitous throughout the oceans. These creatures are encased within a hard shell shaped like a wide, flattened cylinder — like a tambourine — that is made of silica. Researchers have recently found that these shells have the highest specific strength — the strength at which a structure breaks with respect to its density — of any known biological material, including bone, antlers, and teeth.