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Crystallography Zone
X-ray crystallography revealed the structure of DNA | Image by Yikrazuul for Wikimedia
Crystallography is the study of the way atoms are arranged in solids. Scientist look at this because it turns out structure has a big impact on what materials look like, and how they work. Crystallography began with the study of crystals, like quartz, and today, crystallographers can study the architecture of any material that can form an orderly solid — from diamonds to viruses.
In this zone you’ll meet a scientist using computers to simulate biological machines, one studying enzymes to make new drug molecules and another using chemistry to design molecules that can conduct electricity or detect explosives. There’s a scientist who runs protein purifications, assays and crystal tray set ups, and a scientist that fires particles into different materials to see what they do and how they work.