Scientists looked at nacre (mother-of-pearl), the inner layer of oyster shells, which is incredibly resistant to cracking despite being made of brittle minerals.
The designation "17X" also holds weight within specialized military career fields and aircraft development. Scientists looked at nacre (mother-of-pearl)
By mimicking the hexagonal, "brick-and-mortar" structure of nacre at a microscopic level, the new material can absorb energy from cracks and slow their spread, rather than shattering. the inner layer of oyster shells
Recently, the Marine Corps Operation StormBreaker successfully overhauled software delivery timelines, slashing them by a factor of 17 to better support digital capabilities in the field. 17x in Social & Scientific Research rather than shattering.
Boeing once proposed the BC-17X , a commercial version of the C-17 Globemaster III. Designed to deliver outsized cargo to remote, unpaved airfields, it was intended to earn money commercially while being available to the military as needed.