Modern Wisdom #058 - Professor Paul Steinhardt - A New Kind Of Matter
Mar 18, 2019
Join theoretical physicist and cosmologist Paul Steinhardt from Princeton University as he shares an extraordinary quest for a new type of matter that feels more like a detective novel than a science project. He recounts encounters with an array of colorful characters, including crafty Russians and a mysterious old lady in Amsterdam. Delve into the groundbreaking discovery of quasicrystals, their fascinating geometric arrangements, and the challenges of validating strange mineral specimens. Explore how these discoveries could revolutionize electronics and material science!
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Arrangement of Matter
- Matter's properties depend on atomic arrangement, like carbon forming diamond or graphite.
- This arrangement was thought to be limited by certain geometric rules.
Impossible Shapes
- Certain shapes, like pentagons, were considered impossible for tiling or forming matter due to their inability to fill space completely.
- This was a 'first kind of impossible,' a mathematical limitation.
Shechtman's Discovery
- While Steinhardt theorized quasicrystals, Dan Shechtman discovered a material violating established laws of matter.
- This material displayed five-fold symmetry, previously thought impossible.
