Sapphire glass for phone cameras is grown in labs
To protect delicate lenses from scratches, manufacturers grow synthetic crystals in high-heat furnaces that mimic the extreme pressure of the Earth's crust.
While your phone screen is likely made of toughened glass, the tiny windows covering the camera lenses are often made of lab-grown sapphire. This material is essentially a single, massive crystal created by melting aluminum oxide at temperatures exceeding 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit.
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