Crystallography: Understanding Materials With X-Rays

Crystallography uses X-rays to reveal the atomic structure of crystals.
When X-rays hit a crystal, they scatter into unique diffraction patterns.
These patterns act like fingerprints, showing how atoms are arranged.
The method was pioneered in 1912 by Max von Laue.
Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray work was key to discovering DNA’s double helix.
Crystallography has mapped proteins, viruses, and countless new materials.
It explains why materials have properties like strength, conductivity, or magnetism.
Drug design relies on crystallography to visualize molecules at atomic detail.
Modern synchrotron sources produce ultra-bright X-rays for sharper results.
This physics tool bridges chemistry, biology, and materials science.