Curves alter crystallization, study finds

Curves alter crystallization, study finds Researchers see wide range of possible applications. S cientists have studied crystallization since the time of Galileo, so it's easy to imagine there's nothing new to learn about the process. Harvard researchers might beg to differ. A new study has uncovered a previously unseen phenomenon - that curved surfaces can dramatically alter the shape of crystals as they form. The finding could have applications ranging from applying coatings to nanoparticles used in industry to aiding in drug delivery, and may even help shed light on how viruses assemble. The work, conducted by researchers at Harvard's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center and funded by the National Science Foundation, is described in a Feb. 7 paper in Science.