Ostracod Crustaceans ('Seed-Shrimps')

These tiny animals have a shrimp-like body contained within a bivalve shell. They have well-developed eyes, and so the shell must be super-transparent for these eyes to work to their potential. We are copying the shells to make novel contact lenses. We also examine the ostracod’s living cells to learn how they make their shells – we may gain insights for our engineering.