Quasicrystals Explained: From Forbidden Symmetry to Practical Uses

Math Science History with Gabrielle Birchak

In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle uncovers the fascinating story of quasicrystals, once thought impossible, now proven to exist both in the lab and in meteorites from space. Listeners will learn how quasicrystals challenged centuries of crystallography, the math that explains their strange patterns, and the surprising ways they’re used today, from non‑stick coatings to futuristic photonics.

Three Things You’ll Learn

1. Why quasicrystals broke the old definition of crystals and forced scientists to rewrite the rules.
2. How Penrose tilings and higher‑dimensional geometry reveal the math behind quasiperiodic order.
3. Where quasicrystals are used today in technology, industry, and even planetary science.

Resources & Links

• Dan Shechtman’s Nobel Lecture: Nobel Prize 2011 in Chemistry
• Paul J. Steinhardt, The Second Kind of Impossible (2019)
• Marjorie Senechal, Quasicrystals and Geometry (1995)
• Luca Bindi et al., “Natural Quasicrystals,” Science (2009): https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1170827

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