by Citation News Editor
14. October 2011
After nearly 30 years of ridicule and persecution, Israeli researcher Dan Schechtman received the Nobel prize in chemistry for his discovery of a third state of solid matter: quasicrystals. Unlike the previously accepted two states, crystal and amorphous, quasicrystals form a five-sided pattern that does not repeat itself, defying the old dogma that they must create repetitious patterns like triangles, squares or hexagons. Quasicrystalline patterns are said to resemble Arab mosaics, arranging themselves according to the Fibonacci sequence much like flowers and shellfish. With their non-stick, rust-free, heat-resistant properties, quasicrystals are now applied to tools, LEDs, engines and frying pans.
