Scientifically speaking, the term “crystal” refers to any solid that has an ordered chemical structure. This means that its parts are arranged in a precisely ordered pattern, like bricks in a wall.

Analysis of recently discovered zircon crystals reveals a sharp change in Earth’s geochemistry around 3.8 billion years ago. Researchers studying the ancient crystals say the likely explanation is the ...

In exploring how crystals form, the researchers also came across an unusual, rod-shaped crystal that hadn’t been identified before, naming it “Zangenite” for the NYU graduate student who discovered it ...

A million years ago, the oldest known species to walk upright like a human, the Homo erectus, had a human-like fascination with crystals. Historians can even pin down the possible reasons – crystals ...

More than 4 billion years ago, when the solar system was still young and the Earth was still growing, scientists think that a giant object the size of Mars crashed into the Earth. The biggest piece ...

More than 4 billion years ago, when the Solar System was still young and the Earth was still growing, a giant object the size of Mars crashed into the Earth. The biggest piece that broke off of the ...

Amethyst geodes—some stretching 5 m long—dot the ancient lava flows of Uruguay’s Los Catalanes mining area. The geodes contain calcite, colorless quartz, and agate, another quartz mineral. Large ...

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you'd like an expert to answer, send it to . Scientifically speaking, the term“crystal” refers to any solid that has an ...