A new documentary, charting the history of crystallography with never seen before footage and exclusive interviews with internally acclaimed scientists, is now available as a free resource to secondary schools.
The film celebrates the work of the founding fathers of crystallography - Sir William Henry Bragg and his son, Sir William Lawrence Bragg - and provides new insight into the technique which has been fundamental to many of the most important scientific discoveries of the last 100 years, while showing how 21st century science facilities are helping scientists to solve even more complex crystallography problems.
Bragg’s Law is one of the most famous equations in science and has played a vital role in many subsequent discoveries, from the development of antibiotics to the uncovering of the double helix in DNA. The film is produced by Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron science facility, in collaboration with the Royal Institution of Great Britain.
Says Professor Andrew Harrison, CEO of Diamond Light Source: “Crystallography has fostered countless scientific advances since its inception and remains fundamental to scientific exploration and discovery. This film brings us right up to date with the pioneering work currently being done using this technique. At Diamond, crystallography is essential to research into green energy solutions, new materials, antibiotics, cancer, Alzheimer’s and HIV.”
The film coincides with UNESCO’s International Year of Crystallography, as well as the centenary of the Nobel Prize for Physics being awarded to the Braggs. Schools can view the 40 minute film at http://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home.html
