6 things we learned this year

There is still no evidence that crystals have any healing properties. But that doesn’t mean they’re not a crucial part of other research fields. Here are 5 things scientists did with crystals in 2024 – and a 6th crystalline mystery solved.

These pink crystals use magnets to super-cool hydrogen

Researchers have made a material capable of cooling substances to -253°C using magnets – enough to liquefy hydrogen.

They say their research could provide a cheaper and more sustainable way to supercool hydrogen fuel for storage and transport.

Lithium batteries made more durable with hotter crystals

Researchers have found a way to grow crystals they say could be capable of powering a lithium battery-powered electric vehicle for 1 million kilometres.

Flurry or spiral? Snowflake falls influence forecasts

The motion of falling snowflakes can be used to help predict precipitation, according to a new study.

The research, which modelled 3D-printed ice crystals falling in glycerine, could be used to improve weather and cloud predictions.

Deep ocean crystals reveal clues about origins of life

Nanometre-sized crystals more than 5km beneath the sea in the Mariana Trench hold hints about the origins of life, according to researchers.

The self-organised nanostructures, which were found around hydrothermal vents, can act in ways that produce electricity.

Transistor smaller than a nanometre made with crystal growth

Researchers have built a transistor smaller than a nanometre.

They’ve figured out how to grow metallic materials 0.4 nanometres wide, and a few tens of micrometres long, which they have then incorporated into tiny transistors.

Mystery of the Crystal Palace’s 190-day construction solved

This is not a crystal science story in quite the same sense as the others on the list – the Crystal Palace was made of glass, not crystals – but it’s such a bizarre story that we couldn’t help but share it again.

The Crystal Palace was a feat of modern engineering when it was constructed in 1851, and many people have wondered how such a giant building could be erected in just 190 days.

Now, researchers think they’ve figured it out: the key is in the screws.