The most complicated crystal structure ever produced in a
computer simulation has been achieved by researchers at the University of
Michigan. They say the findings help demonstrate how complexity can emerge from
simple rules.
Their "icosahedral quasicrystal"
(eye-KO-suh-HE-druhl QUAZ-eye-cris-tahl) looks ordered to the eye, but has no
repeating pattern. At the same time, it's symmetric when rotated, like a soccer
ball with five-fold and six-fold patches.