Researchers Aim to Create Shatterproof Phone Screens

Anyone with a smartphone knows the sharp inhale that occurs almost instantaneously after you drop it face down … and the ensuing exhale when you discover whether or not you’ve cracked your screen. According to a report issued in 2018 by device protection plan provider SquareTrade, smartphone owners break 50 million screens over the course of a year, which comes down to about 2 screens every second. And while SquareTrade recommends a screen protector and case, there might be options coming down the pipeline that deal with the root cause. Researchers from McGill University believe that a new material inspired by a mollusk shell might have some advantages over traditional glass.