Symmetry is a feature of many plants, animals and even some molecules — like water. But that’s not the case with snails and their coiled shells. They are chiral — asymmetrical in such a way that they ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- New insights about a tiny snail that lives on the ocean floor could help scientists design better armor for soldiers and vehicles, according to MIT researchers. A team of materials ...

The shell that protects snails living on deep-sea vents could inspire the next generation of body armour for humans, say scientists. They penetrated it with a diamond-tipped probe — applying the same ...

A snail is an equally comforting and discomfiting creature. Its ornamental shell is both a home and armor. Its glacial pace, often accompanied by a viscous sludge it leaves behind, make it a messy if ...