Biological structural materials, although composed of unremarkable sub
stances synthesized at low temperatures, often exhibit superior mechan
ical properties. In particular, the quality in which nearly all biolog
ically derived materials excel is toughness. The advantageous mechanic
al properties are attributable to the hierarchical, composite, structu
ral arrangements common to biological systems. Materials scientists an
d engineers have increasingly recognized that biological designs or pr
ocessing approaches applied to man-made materials (biomimesis) may off
er improvements in performance over conventional designs and fabricati
on methods. In this survey, the structures and processing routes of ma
rine shells, avian eggshells, wood, bone, and insect cuticle are brief
ly reviewed, and biomimesis research inspired by these materials is di
scussed. In addition, this paper describes and summarizes the applicat
ions of biomineralization, self-assembly, and templating with proteins
to the fabrication of thin ceramic films and nanostructure devices.