ceramic. This was no stronger than earthenware, but, unlike any other clay they knew, if they increased the temperature of the furnace to a very hot 1300°C, it did something strange. The clay turned into an almost watery-looking solid: a white ceramic that had a near perfectly smooth surface. It was quite simply the most beautiful ceramic that anyone had ever seen. It was also stronger and tougher than any ceramic had any right to be. It was so strong that cups and bowls could be made that were extremely thin, almost as thin as paper, without compromising their ability to withstand cracks.
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