{"id":22012,"date":"2026-09-16T20:39:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T20:39:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=22012"},"modified":"2026-09-16T20:39:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T20:39:44","slug":"cracking-the-crystal-code-in-a-flash-new-technique-wins-prestigious-crystallography-prize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=22012","title":{"rendered":"Cracking the crystal code in a flash: New technique wins prestigious crystallography prize"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ability to determine how atoms are arranged within a material underpins much of modern science. From drug discovery and semiconductor design to advanced materials and energy storage technologies, understanding atomic structure is often the key to unlocking innovation. Yet obtaining that structure has traditionally been a painstaking undertaking, requiring multiple measurements and extensive computational analysis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A breakthrough could transform the field. Hungarian researchers Mikl\u00f3s Tegze, G\u00e1bor Bortel and Gyula Faigel have been awarded the prestigious Gregori Aminoff Prize in Crystallography for developing a technique known as <strong>Kossel crystallography<\/strong>, which allows scientists to determine a crystal\u2019s three-dimensional structure with unprecedented speed. At the heart of their achievement is the use of ultra-short pulses from a <strong>free-electron laser (FEL)<\/strong>, enabling structural information to be captured in mere femtoseconds. The development is not only a significant advance for crystallography but could also help scientists observe rapid structural changes in materials as they occur.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-a-longstanding-challenge-in-materials-science\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A longstanding challenge in materials science<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crystallography is the scientific study of atomic arrangements in solid materials. Since the pioneering work of William Henry Bragg and William Lawrence Bragg, whose contributions laid the foundations of modern X-ray crystallography and ultimately transformed our understanding of molecular structure, diffraction techniques have been the dominant method for revealing crystal structures. The broader significance of crystallography can be explored through resources provided by the Nobel Prize organisation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The technique has impacted chemistry, physics, biology and medicine. Determining the double-helix structure of DNA, understanding protein folding and designing modern pharmaceuticals all relied heavily on advances in crystallographic methods. Traditionally, however, the process requires many measurements from different orientations. Researchers expose a crystal to X-rays and analyse how those rays are scattered. The resulting diffraction patterns are then combined to reconstruct a three-dimensional atomic model. While tremendously powerful, the approach can be time-consuming and may struggle to capture materials that change rapidly during observation.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-the-promise-of-free-electron-lasers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The promise of free-electron lasers<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the past two decades, free-electron lasers have emerged as one of the most exciting developments in photon science. Some research centres can generate extraordinarily intense pulses of X-rays lasting only femtoseconds, or millionths of a billionth of a second.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because these pulses are so short, researchers can obtain information about a sample before radiation damage has time to occur. This capability has opened entirely new avenues for studying molecular behaviour, chemical reactions and biological processes in real time. The work by Tegze, Bortel and Faigel exploits these remarkable properties in a novel way. Using a single free-electron laser pulse lasting approximately 25 femtoseconds, the team demonstrated that a crystal\u2019s three-dimensional structure could be determined almost instantaneously. Rather than relying on a large number of measurements collected from different angles, structural information can be extracted from a single ultra-fast event.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The breakthrough builds upon principles first explored by German physicist Walther Kossel during the early twentieth century. Kossel patterns arise when characteristic X-rays generated within a crystal interfere with the crystal lattice itself, producing distinctive geometrical patterns that contain structural information. For decades, the method remained largely a scientific curiosity because practical limitations made it difficult to exploit fully.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Hungarian researchers recognised that modern free-electron laser technology could overcome these obstacles. By combining ultra-intense X-ray pulses with advanced computational analysis, they transformed Kossel crystallography into a practical tool capable of rapid three-dimensional structure determination. The achievement demonstrates how long-established scientific concepts can gain new relevance when paired with contemporary technologies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps the greatest significance of the new technique lies not in determining static structures, but in observing change. Many of the most interesting phenomena in nature involve motion at the atomic level. Materials switch between solid phases. Molecules rearrange during chemical reactions. Electronic structures shift as energy flows through a system. These transformations can occur on timescales measured in femtoseconds or picoseconds, making them difficult to observe using conventional approaches.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new technique offers the possibility of capturing these processes in real time. Scientists may be able to watch the atomic rearrangements associated with phase transitions, magnetisation changes, catalytic reactions or electronic switching events as they unfold. Such capability could provide fresh insights into some of the most fundamental questions in materials science.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While crystallography is often viewed as a specialised branch of physical science, its influence extends into many fields. In medicine, structural information guides the design of therapeutics and helps researchers understand disease mechanisms. The success of structure-based drug design has led to numerous important medicines, including antiviral and anticancer therapies. Resources provide access to hundreds of thousands of experimentally determined biological structures that have become fundamental to modern biomedical research.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The importance of structural approaches to medicine continues to be highlighted by leading publications such as Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, where crystallography remains a central tool in pharmaceutical innovation. In chemistry, crystallographic analysis supports catalyst development, battery research and advanced manufacturing. Understanding atomic arrangements can reveal why certain materials possess superior conductivity, strength or chemical stability.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The semiconductor industry also depends heavily upon precise structural characterisation. As device architectures become increasingly complex and components approach atomic dimensions, rapid high-resolution structural analysis becomes ever more valuable. Kossel crystallography could therefore find applications across a broad range of scientific disciplines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The technique may prove particularly important for advanced materials research. Scientists increasingly seek materials capable of supporting renewable energy technologies, quantum computing, next-generation electronics and enhanced energy storage. Understanding how atoms reorganise during phase transitions and electronic changes is a major focus of contemporary materials science.  The ability to determine three-dimensional structures in femtoseconds could become a powerful addition to the materials scientist\u2019s toolkit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u7b2c\u4e8c\u901a\u680f\uff1a728\u00d790 \u901a\u680f -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; 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display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114302\" data-width=\"133\" data-height=\"139\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114302});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:125px; background:#91e7ac; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> Cracking the crystal code in a flash: New technique wins prestigious crystallography prize<br \/>\n<br \/>#Cracking #crystal #code #flash #technique #wins #prestigious #crystallography #prize<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ability to determine how atoms are arranged within a material underpins much of modern&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14201,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[363,6787,2373,16138,814,10666,2324,13265,2576],"class_list":["post-22012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-code","tag-cracking","tag-crystal","tag-crystallography","tag-flash","tag-prestigious","tag-prize","tag-technique","tag-wins"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons.jpg",1280,960,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-300x225.jpg",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-768x576.jpg",640,480,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-1024x768.jpg",640,480,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons.jpg",1280,960,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons.jpg",1280,960,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-1115x715.jpg",1115,715,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-800x500.jpg",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-1024x768.jpg",1024,768,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photons-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=7\" rel=\"category\">Stories<\/a>","tag_info":"Stories","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22012"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22012\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}