THE SHAPING OF A SHELL

Math, physics, and evolution join forces to form some of our planet’s most fascinating natural structures.

Words by FERRIS JABR

YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE logarithmic whorl of a nautilus. The milky iridescence of an abalone. The spiked turret of a queen conch. Precision, elegance, strength. The seashell is a consonance of form and function that both rivals and guides human creativity. From Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” to Frank Lloyd Wright’s design for the Guggenheim Museum in New York, shells have inspired artists and architects throughout history. Our admiration for seashells even predates writing. Archaeologists in Israel recently unearthed the remains of a clamshell necklace made about 120,000 years ago. As enduring as our fascination with seashells are the mysteries they hold. How did such complex and beautiful structures come into existence? Evolution by natural selection can help explain why shells became widespread among mollusks, but it cannot fully elucidate…

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National Geographic (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2024

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