Advanced imaging techniques in biomineralization research: concluding remarks

Abstract

These Faraday Discussions have shown that a wide range of physical techniques allows imaging biominerals whatever their size, mineralogy and complexity. These techniques cover an extensive spectral range from infrared to hard X-rays and enable the micro- and nanostructures of these exceptional biological materials to be described in great detail. All scales are covered, with numerous overlaps, from the millimetre to atomic scales. The next frontier will be to map in 3D the organic matrix components associated to biominerals in order to understand their function in biomineralization.