Absolutely Crystal Clear (今月のノーベル賞月報)

Monthly MAY 2014 Unique snowflake. Photo: Pen Waggener (Flickr: Unique) via Wikimedia Commons. International Year of Crystallography 2014 Crystals are everywhere in nature, admired for their symmetrical patterns - just think of a snowflake! The science of crystallography still remains relatively unknown for most people, though it underpins most technological developments in our modern society. 2014 marks the centennial of the birth of X-ray crystallography, thanks to the work of 1914 Physics Laureate Max von Laue who showed that X-rays are diffracted in crystals. Read more: X-ray's Identity Becomes Crystal Clear A Successful Father-and-Son Team After Max von Laue's discovery, it still wasn't clear whether the structure of the crystal and the wavelength of X-rays had any influence on the diffraction pattern.The connection was established by the Braggs, father and son, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1915. Read more: The Parent Trap Lawrence Bragg. Quasicrystals. The Discovery of Quasicrystals In quasicrystals, we find the fascinating mosaics of the Arabic world reproduced at the level of atoms: regular patterns that never repeat themselves. However, the configuration found in quasicrystals was considered impossible, and Chemistry Laureate Dan Shechtman had to fight a fierce battle against established science. Watch a short video about Dan Shechtman Play the Crystallite Game Liquid crystals are partly ordered materials, somewhere between their solid and liquid phases. Their molecules are often shaped like rods or plates. The Crystallite Game is a Tetris-like game based on the different types of patterns found in liquid crystal molecules. Play the game Monthly Quiz The Youngest Nobel Laureate Lawrence Bragg, who was awarded the 1915 Physics Prize together with his father, is the youngest Nobel Laureate ever. How old was he when he was awarded the Prize? Make a guess and click to submit your answer. 25 years 30 years 35 years 本年度ノーベル文学賞は拙ブログ掲載のカナダ女性が受賞。Alice Munro - Premio Nobel ★【紅茶ギフト】スウェーデン ストックホルムの北欧紅茶ミニ缶5個セット 鮮やかなイエローの箱... 価格：4,935円（税込、送料別） 【送料無料】山中iPS細胞・ノーベル賞受賞論文を読もう [ 山中伸弥 ] 価格：1,890円（税込、送料込） 【送料無料】名古屋ノーベル賞物語 [ 中日新聞社 ] 価格：1,300円（税込、送料込） 【送料無料】ノーベル賞はこうして決まる [ アーリング・ノルビ ] 価格：2,520円（税込、送料込） 　【1000円以上送料無料】ノーベル文学賞　「文芸共和国」をめざして／柏倉康夫【RCP】 価格：2,310円（税込、送料込）