J. Su

A woven bamboo basket is not just a household item: it's an exact blueprint for how atoms are arranged in the crystal YMn₆Sn₆. Six manganese atoms form hexagons that assemble into a pattern reminiscent of the Japanese kagome. In such a lattice, electrons usually behave uniformly, like passengers in a crowded subway car.

A chef prepares a delicate dish where every grain must be in its place. A single stray crumb of an unwanted ingredient can overpower the subtle flavor of the main product. In much the same way, physicists studying the fusion of oxygen nuclei struggle with impurities in their targets. The reaction in which two oxygen-16 nuclei fuse determines the late stages of massive stars.