Shark teeth must function to the point during their short retention time: The Port Jackson shark feeds on hard-shelled prey such as sea urchins, starfish, mussels and snails. Its teeth must be able to withstand high mechanical stress. The special structure of the tooth enamel ensures this continuously high performance: „The special feature is that the inner layer of tooth enameloid provides mechanical stability, while the outer one splinters off successively. This allows the tooth to retain its function,“ says Dr. Shahrouz Amini. This insight provides new design paradigms for functionalized materials with exterior coatings that can be damaged and replaced, without limiting the performance.