Diamond-Like Crystals Discovered In Brazilian Beetle

Utah chemists have discovered that nature already has designed photonic crystals with the ideal, diamond-like structure: They are found in the shimmering, iridescent green scales of a beetle from Brazil.
"It appears that a simple creature like a beetle provides us with one of the technologically most sought-after structures for the next generation of computing," says study leader Michael Bartl, "Nature has simple ways of making structures and materials that are still unobtainable with our million-dollar instruments and engineering strategies."
Researchers are seeking photonic crystals as they aim to develop optical computers that run on light (photons) instead of electricity (electrons).
Complete story: sciencedaily.com