It is challenging to develop functional carbon nanospheres with well-defined porosity and complex multi-shelled nanostructures. In a new report now published in Science Advances, Liang Peng and a research team in chemistry and materials synthesis, in China, reported a lamellar micelle spiral self-assembly strategy to form multi-shelled mesoporous carbon nanospheres with unique chirality. In this method, the team introduced shearing flow to drive the spiral self-assembly. The resultant self-support spiral architecture of the multi-shelled carbon nanospheres in combination with their high surface area and abundant nitrogen content with plentiful mesopores yielded excellent electrochemical performance for potassium storage. The micelle-directed self-assembly offered a simple and powerful strategy to inspire nanostructure design of functional materials in the future.