Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the history of crystallography, the study of crystals and their structure. Developments in crystallography have touched most people’s lives, thanks to the vital role it plays in diverse scientific disciplines – from physics and chemistry, to molecular biology and mineralogy.
The history of crystallography began with the work of Johannes Kepler in the 17th century, but perhaps the most crucial leap in understanding came in the early 20th century and the discoveries of the father-and-son team the Braggs. Their work revolutionised our perception of crystals and their atomic arrangements, and led to some of the most significant scientific findings of the last century – such as revealing the structure of DNA.
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