When Crystals Grow Like Coral — Featured in Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Natuurkunde

The research of Prof. Shahidzadeh was featured in the September 2026 edition of Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Natuurkunde (NTvN). Solutions containing mixtures of different ions can exhibit surprising behaviour. Instead of forming flawless crystals as we know them, the matter can organize itself into so-called spherulites—mesmerizing spherical structures that sprout like tiny sea urchins or coral heads under the microscope. Beyond helping us decode fossil-like mineral textures once mistaken for biological remains, this phenomenon offers a pathway to engineering materials with intricate internal architectures and exceptionally large surface areas, with designs dictated by the physics of nonequilibrium crystal growth.