The Mystery of How Quasicrystals Form

Quasicrystals, exotic materials discovered in 1982 whose atoms form never-repeating patterns with "forbidden" five-fold symmetry, have long puzzled scientists. Recent breakthrough research has solved this mystery by proving that quasicrystals are thermodynamically stable—their atoms naturally settle into these low-energy arrangements because certain building blocks like 30-sided shapes require less energy to maintain. Scientists have developed new methods to create and observe quasicrystals forming in real-time using magnetic particles, while discovering unexpected properties like antiferromagnetism that could lead to applications in electronics and materials science.