An abalone is a sea creature with a single, ear-shaped shell that clings tightly to underwater rocks. Inside that beautiful shell lives a large, muscular snail-like animal that grips the rock so firmly that prying one loose takes serious effort.

What makes abalone shells remarkable is their interior: a shimmering rainbow surface called mother-of-pearl that glows with blues, greens, pinks, and purples. For thousands of years, people have used these shells to make jewelry, buttons, and decorative inlays on musical instruments like guitars. The shells feel smooth and cool to the touch, and they catch the light like an oil slick on water.

Abalone also serves as food in many coastal cultures, especially in California, Japan, and Korea. The meat is tough and requires pounding to tenderize it before cooking. Because abalone grows slowly and overfishing has depleted wild populations, it's now quite expensive. Many abalone today come from underwater farms rather than wild harvest.

If you visit a beach where abalone live, you might find an empty shell washed ashore. Pick it up and tilt it in the sunlight to see that incredible iridescent display, nature's own light show captured in calcium carbonate.