iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Helen MC

Owen Missen @scimissionowen.bsky.social · 21h

Famously versatile and flaky! Graphite's structure is in the high school chemistry curriculum. It conducts electricity and is very soft, leading to its uses in grey 'lead' pencils and as a solid lubricant. Carbon has 5 polymorphs: graphite, diamond, lonsdaleite, chaoite and tartarosite.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 22h

So it will be cubic v hexagonal for the #MinCup26 final, but what hexagonal mineral will it be? Is #graphite too flaky to stay the course? Is #quartz going to nick it in time? (see what I did there?) Tough call, but I think #Graphite gets my vote today (as I'm off out sketching!)

Image representing the crystal structure of quartz- here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, and blue spheres/polygons represent silicon atoms. The structure has been expanded over b axis to show off quite how really basic it is. Yes it is piezoelectric, but don't let that sway you. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #789 in the American mineralogist database

Image representing the crystal structure of graphite with brown spheres representing carbon atoms. The structure is made up of layers of carbon atoms where the carbon atoms make hexagon rings. The structure is drawn in VESTA from entry #49 in the American mineralogist database.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 29/09/2026

Exciting finish to the #VICvSA #WNCL game - Vic need 37 runs off 24 balls - Sutherland on 107, can she get them over the line?

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Brian Wolven @brianwolven.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I’ve got a soft spot for Europa Clipper, but I have to admit that JuIcE is a catchier name.

xkcd.com

Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 29/09/2026

Ok, am loving that Cricket Australia have introduced 'Boss mode' for following games - where it literally gives you the live scores IN A SPREADSHEET - my #WNCL stats may be go up a notch this season! www.cricket.com.au/matches/CA:4...

cricket.com.au

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 29/09/2026

Semi final #MinCup26 match up between #Cuprite and #Halite - I'm now fully behind the magnetic #Cuprite - and have dug out that neutron diffraction discovered it has nearly ZERO thermal expansion from 200-300 K link.springer.com/article/10.1... WEIRD!

Image representing the crystal structure of Cuprite - here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, and blue spheres represent copper atoms. The structure has been expanded over a,b and c axes. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #7351 in the American mineral database

Image representing the crystal structure of halite. Yellow spheres represent sodium atoms, green spheres represent chlorine atoms. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #641 in the American mineralogist database.

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Paul Voosen @voosen.me · 28/09/2026

New Horizons is now *three days away* from shutting off its two heliophysics instruments, simply because NASA has not provided the $2M in funding it had promised to the mission last year or this year. There is no science basis for shutting these off. Our earlier coverage:

science.org

NASA’s New Horizons mission may shut down two instruments over lack of funding

Decision risks “incalculable loss” of data from the edge of the Sun’s influence, scientists say

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Louise Dawe @louisedawe.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Let's see #Cuprite in #MinCup26 finals! Jauch and Reehuis used γ-ray diffraction to revisit how electrons are arranged in Cu₂O, finding incomplete ionization of Cu and O but no Cu–Cu charge build-up to support covalent bonding. Reported in @actacrystb.iucr.org: journals.iucr.org/paper?S20525...

journals.iucr.org

Reassessment of the electron density in Cu2O using γ-ray diffraction

The electron-density distribution in Cu2O has been critically reexamined to test controversial conclusions from earlier experimental and theoretical studies.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 28/09/2026

hummm... I really hope that #pyromorphite gets through to the semis - cuprite, quartz and halite (all through so far) are all on the boring structure side. (on the plus point perhaps I get get my 6-year old niece to help me make models of them all) #MinCup26

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 28/09/2026

Have shifted timezones so a little out of sorts - but looks like a tight one in the last #MinCup26 Quarterfinal. #Pyromorphite vividness comes from its phosphorus atoms, I love how they tuck into the crystal structure. That gets my vote today over boring #Graphite.

Image representing the crystal structure of pyromorphite - here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, grey spheres/polygons represent lead atoms, purple spheres/polygons represent phosphorus atoms and green spheres represent calcium atoms. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #5226 in the American mineralogist database

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Reposted by Helen MC

c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The obvious conclusion (to me): if you have proprietary research & you upload it into the Plagiarism Nexus, it's not YOUR proprietary research anymore. Behave accordingly.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 27/09/2026

Hoping for a late surge for #Julienite in today's #MinCup26 quarter final. Hard to be up against a tasty opponent like #Halite - but it's structure is just so interesting! Look at those jewel-like blocks of death! (Not a chemist, but sulfur+nitrogen+carbon attached to a metal can't be healthy)

Image representing the crystal structure of julienite - here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, dark yellow spheres/polygons represent sodium atoms, dark blue spheres/polygons represent colbalt atoms, yellow spheres represent sulfur atoms, brown spheres represent carbon atoms and light blue spheres represent nitrogen atoms. The structure is viewed down its c axis and shows that there are sodium/water(oxgyen) units surrounded by colbalt complexes with nitrogen, carbon and sulfur attached. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #9760 in the American mineralogist database.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 26/09/2026

Best #AFLGF entertainment ever! I love the fact they used the spider cam ropes to elevate Kylie across the ‘G

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 26/09/2026

As some of us in Aus settle in for the Grand Final, as a Hawthorn fan I'm more focused on the Quarter Final of #MinCup26. From a crystal structure view battle of octahedra coordination within #Skutterudite vs tetrahedral coordination within #Quartz. Tough call today, but #Quartz gets the call.

Image of the crystal structure of Skutterudite viewed along its c axis. Cobalt, Iron and Nickle positions are represented by blue spheres/polygons (they all sit in the same position and occupy that at some time or another), Arsenic by green spheres. Drawn from entry #9417 in the American mineral database

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 26/09/2026

I’ve been catching up on listening to #TheArchers on my commute of late (you can take the girl out of England etc…) some dismay at recent storyline’s but mainly I just want the recipie for Usha’s apricot shortbread and to see an image of her conclave of radishes

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LeSuPer @lesuper.bsky.uy · 25/09/2026

Sphalerite is also historically important for crystallography since it was a big octahedral ZnS crystal that allowed Max von Laue show without a hint of doubt how X-rays are scattered at precise angles by crystals. A large, easy to allign crystal, helped show 3 and 4-fold rotational symmetry.

$XRD diffraction pattern of ZnS collected along a 3-fold axis (incident beam perpendicular to a triangular face of an octahedral) of a ZnS Crystal obtained by von Laue, Friedrich and Knipping.$ $XRD diffraction pattern of ZnS collected along a 4-fold axis (incident beam paralelo to a diagonal of an octahedral) of a ZnS Crystal obtained by von Laue, Friedrich and Knipping$

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Reposted by Helen MC

Richard Morris @ahistoryinart.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Do you have a painting or drawing by Lawrence Bragg? The Nobel Prize-winning scientist appears in the 1927 Solvay photo alongside Einstein and Marie Curie; he was also a keen painter. I’m planning an exhibition about his life and times in 2027, the centenary of this picture.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 25/09/2026

So we enter the Quarter Finals of #MinCup26 - and first up is semi-boring structure #Sphalerite vs boring structure #Cuprite. Maybe it's just because it's my last day before leave, but can't seem to care about either of them... I guess as a neutron scatterer I'll have to go for magnetic #Cuprite

Image of the crystal structure of Sphalerite - here yellow sphere represent sulfur atoms and grey spheres/polygons represent zinc. The structure is viewed off the principle axes so that the repeats can be seen and is drawn in VESTA from #110 in the American mineralogist database

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Reposted by Helen MC

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

My latest @newscientist.com cartoon. many more here: www.newscientist.com/author/tom-gauld/

Image: A graph with lots of red dots clustered together in a curve. The are all looking upwards at a single red dot wearing sunglasses.

Caption: Mike was an outlier and would probably be excluded from the study, but all the other data points secretly thought he was really cool.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 24/09/2026

We're up to match 8 of round 2 #MinCup26 - and it's #Gadolinite-(Y) taking on the very useful #Graphite. Easy pick for me is the lovely mosaic-like structure of #Gadolinite-(Y) (and variety of elements!). VOTE here www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...

Image representing the crystal structure of Gadolinite-(Y). Red spheres represent oxygen atoms, blue spheres/polygons silicon atoms, grey spheres/polygons represent yittrium atoms and brown spheres/polygons represent iron atoms. There are also a number of other exotic elements that substitue into the yittrum postions (Neodynium, gadolium, dyprosium, europium and samearium). The structure is viewed down its c-axis, and is drawn in VESTA from entry #960 in the American mineralogist database.

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Louise Dawe @louisedawe.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I’m voting #Halite in this #MinCup26 round! Under 1.7 GPa, NaCl forms a tridecahydrate with a hydrogen-bond network like ice VI, including orientationally disordered water molecules. Yamashita explores salt’s this high-pressure chemistry in @actacrystb.iucr.org: journals.iucr.org/paper?ne5013=

journals.iucr.org

The hydrogen-bond network in sodium chloride tridecahydrate: analogy with ice VI

The hydrogen-bonded structure of sodium chloride tridecahydrate, NaCl·13(H, D)2O, has been determined at 1.7 GPa and 298 K by single-crystal neutron diffraction. Its hydrogen-bond network is analogou...

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 23/09/2026

No contest for #crystallography for today's #MinCup26 battle - we have 'I don't know my crystal structure' #Chrysocolla vs 'First crystal structure EVER determined' of #Halite. So though it is a boring structure - #Halite gets my vote today

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Admirable Women @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Ebba Lund (b. #OTD in 1923) was an extraordinary Danish chemical engineer, microbiologist & virologist who lived two distinct lives. Before becoming a towering figure in European #science, she was a fearless #WWII resistance fighter who personally saved hundreds of lives. 🧵 #WomenInSTEM

A close-up, black-and-white Photograph of Ebba Lund (1923–1999), the heroic Danish World War II resistance fighter, chemical engineer, and pioneering microbiologist. Lund is framed centrally against a dark, indistinct background. Her face is illuminated by a warm, genuine smile. Her short, textured, light hair is styled in a casual, piecey crop with soft bangs sweeping across her forehead. She is dressed in a cozy, dark-toned high-neck sweater or turtleneck layered under a thick, textured, knit or crocheted outer garment. The tight composition focuses entirely on her expressive, joyful face, evoking an intimate, friendly, and deeply resilient mood. This portrait carries profound historical significance; it presents the approachable visage of the legendary "Girl with the Red Beret" before pioneering crucial scientific frameworks in environmental virology to track and curb global polio epidemics.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 22/09/2026

I hope that I'm not the harbinger of doom for #Pyromorphite, but it really does deserve to win today's #MinCup26 round because it does know where it's atoms are at (no crystal structure set for #Cylindrite)

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KSircombe @ksircombe.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Voting for #putnisite in #MinCup26🧪⚒️ because: * awesome colour * unique chemistry * discovery locality is in the middle of arid salt lake in 🇦🇺, so, inevitably, it is named for a polar bear because it kinda looks like one... (image attached, decide for yourself, then vote #putnisite) buff.ly/eVmLGpm

Satellite image of an arid landscape showing an elongated, island-like dark landform surrounded by pale grey, cream and pink salt flats. Bright white shoreline deposits trace the edges of the feature, while scattered small pools and irregular lagoon shapes appear across the surrounding terrain. The image highlights contrasting geological patterns, textures and colours typical of a dry inland lake or playa system viewed from above.

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Owen Missen @scimissionowen.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This is the kind of Mineral Cup match up that is particularly enjoyable for me. Admittedly, neither of these two minerals are common, and nor do they have major uses. But they remind us of the wonder of the natural world and its ability to produce amazing crystals!

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 21/09/2026

AUSTRALIA and beyond - We need to assemble again for #Putnisite! This amazing structure needs your support in today's #MinCup26 battle. For shear density and novelty in its strange/wonderful crystal structure it should get your vote over #Julienite

Image representing the crystal structure of putnisite - here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, light blue spheres/polygons represent calcium atoms, dark blue spheres/polygons represent silicon atoms, brown spheres/polygons represent carbon atoms, green spheres/polygons represent strontium atoms. There is also some chromium hiding in the structure that is in part represented by a yellow triangle. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #20044 in the American mineralogist database

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 21/09/2026

Pants, I stuffed up the alt text on todays MinCup post.... sorting it out...

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Vicky Veritas @vickyveritas.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Widgiemooltha is a 1897 historic town in Western Australia’s goldfields that arose during the gold rush, & was named the aboriginal name for a nearby hill. This pretty purple putnisite crystal was found there. This mineral has a completely unique chemical structure found nowhere else in nature.

This tiny purple putnisite crystal is from the Armstrong Ni Mine, Widgiemooltha, Coolgardie Shire, Western Australia, Australia. It is unique in chemistry and nature, and found nowhere else. From Mindat: https://www.mindat.org/photo-543393.html

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 20/09/2026

Bit late to today's #MinCup26 party - but no contest for my vote. #Stichtite has layers (like an onion, like an ogre) and is full of interesting structural points. #Quartz is just... well Quartz, nothing doing here.

Image representing the crystal structure of stichtite - here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, orange spheres/polygons represent magnesium atoms , light blue spheres/white represent carbon atoms (that make up CO3 carbonate groups) and pink spheres represent hydrogen atoms. The representation is shown along the structures b axis is drawn in VESTA from entry #18330 in the American mineralogist database

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 19/09/2026

I'm still salty that #Cupirte beat #Orpiment in the first round of #MinCup26 - so today's vote is for #Andalusite out of spite. Plus it has got a more interesting crystal structure, so there's that too.

Image representing the crystal structure of andalusite- here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, light blue spheres/polygons represent aluminium atoms and dark blue spheres/polygons represent silicon atoms. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #728 in the American mineralogist database

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The Australian Institute of Physics @aip.org.au · 18/09/2026

🌌 Launceston, you’re next! Then onto Hobart! Join astrophysicist Dr Karelle Siellez for the final two stops of her national Marie Curie Lecture tour. 📍 Launceston: 26 Sept 📍 Hobart + online: 1 Oct 🔭 Painting the Universe aip.org.au/Women-in-Phy...

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 18/09/2026

#Vesuvianite is my second fave in the #MinCup26 draw, so no contest today. So varied, so many atoms, such WOW. #Skutterudite is pedestrian in comparison.

Image representing the crystal structure of Vesuvianite - here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, light blue spheres represent calcium atoms and blue spheres represent silicon. there is also some copper, aliuminum, manganese, iron, magnesium and zinc hiding out in the structure (but that's harder to see in this representation). The structure is viewed down it's c axis and drawn in VESTA from #1044 in the American mineral database

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 17/09/2026

So into round 2 of #MinCup26 and I'm going to keep with my 'what's the more interesting crystal structure' criteria. I have always had a thing for 3-fold symmetry so am a sucker for the trigonal carbonate groups - #Azurite gets my vote over #Sphalerite today.

An image of the crystal structure of Azurite - red sphere represent oxygen atoms, brown spheres carbon atoms, blue spheres/polygons represent copper atoms and pink atoms represent hydrogen atoms. The representation is drawn in VESTA from #8598 in the American mineralogist database.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 16/09/2026

Interesting #PostDoc opportunity in Dunedin - project investigating the formation and structure of mixed clathrate hydrate minerals relevant to Titan’s surface - deadline 20th September otago.taleo.net/careersectio...

otago.taleo.net

Postdoctoral Fellow - Chemistry

Click the link provided to see the complete job description.

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Louise Dawe @louisedawe.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Kinda chic like #Cassiterite: an industrially vital tin ore that can grow elaborate contact and cyclic crystal twins from tiny, structurally matched seeds. Daneu et al. report functional materials, but make the crystal architecture dramatic in @actacrystb.iucr.org: journals.iucr.org/b/issues/202...

journals.iucr.org

Formation of contact and multiple cyclic cassiterite twins in SnO2-based ceramics co-doped with cobalt and niobium oxides

The formation of contact and cyclic cassiterite twins during crystal growth is controlled by oriented nucleation of SnO2 domains on nanosized grains of structurally related cobalt–niobium oxide phases...

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 16/09/2026

Last match of round 1 #MinCup26 - and to be honest both the structures of #Cassiterite and #Graphite are a bit, well meh. Cassiterite gets my vote for the fact is has tin in it, which seems a little more exotic that just carbon.

Image representing the crystal structure of cassiterite with red spheres representing oxygen atoms and purple spheres/polygons representing tin atoms. The structure is drawn in VESTA from entry #9162 in the American mineralogist database.

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The Australian Institute of Physics @aip.org.au · 15/09/2026

🎓 Heading to #AIPCongress2026 in Sydney? AIP Student Travel Awards are available for eligible student members presenting at Congress, 7–11 Dec. 📅 Applications close 31 Oct 2026. Apply: aip.org.au/News/13685066

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 15/09/2026

Abstaining for today #MinCup26 - neither of these minerals have properly determined crystal structures. Hence this #crystallographer is steering clear of both of them.

static.klipy.com

Cartoon Dog: Hell No Negative

Alt: Cartoon Dog: Hell No Negative

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Anacortes Area Plant Dad @tarnado.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

How many @mineralcup.bsky.social minerals in the 2026 bracket have rock songs about them? #Riebeckite sure does - Blue Sky Mine by Midnight Oil! www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R1m...

youtube.com

Blue Sky Mine (Remastered)

YouTube video by Midnight oil - Topic

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 14/09/2026

Both of todays #MinCup26 minerals' structures do plot out very nicely - #Gadolinite-(Y) has lots of interesting elements sneaking into the structure, but I have to say that the good old amphibole (double chain silicate) structure (with nice variation) of #Riebeckite turned my head today.

Image representing the crystal structure of Riebekite, a version known as flouro-Riebeckite. Red spheres represent oxygen atoms, blue spheres/polygons silicon atoms, yellow spheres/polygons represent sodium atoms, green spheres/polygons represent litium atoms and brown spheres/polygons represent iron atoms. There are also a number of other elements that substitute into the sodium (potassium and calcium) and lithium positions (manganese). The structure is viewed down its c-axis, and is drawn in VESTA from entry #5155 in the American mineralogist database.

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Eos @eos.org · 13/09/2026

As Pluto’s fall turns to winter, its atmosphere will thin out, and nitrogen will fall down like snow. A new analysis suggests the process may have started already. 🧪🪐 eos.org/articles/plu...

eos.org

Pluto’s Atmosphere May Be Collapsing - Eos

Don’t worry, it’s supposed to do that.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 13/09/2026

I was nearly swayed by #arsenopyrite in today's #MinCup26 match, I do like the wavey AsS arms sticking out of the iron units. But for a crystallographer #halite is the ultimate classic, literally the first crystal structure ever determined (by the Braggs) so that gets my vote today

Image representing the crystal structure of arsenopyrite. Yellow spheres represent sulfur atoms, green spheres represent arsenic and brown spheres/polygons represent iron atoms. The structure is viewed down its a-axis, and shows off that the AsS attached to the iron units make a zig-zag through the structure. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #112 in the American mineralogist database.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 12/09/2026

No contest today in #MinCup26 in my mind - #Cylindrite is one of the minerals that sneaked into definition with no crystal structure defined! So #Pyrrhotite all the way - plus there's there awesome thing that a small nudge in the iron positions is what gives it its magnetic properties.

Image representing the crystal structure of Pyrrhotite, here I've plotted out the monoclinic version. Yellow spheres represent sulfur atoms and brown spheres represent iron atoms. The structure is viewed down its b-axis, and shows off that the atoms are slightly displaced from high-symmetry sites, this makes for a larger repeating unit and ultimately give the material its weakly magnetic properties. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #288 in the American mineralogist database.

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Helen MC @crystallised-cricket.com · 11/09/2026

At the risk of enraging @rami.spaceaustralia.com... #Calcite is tres boring structurally - it has layers yeah, but what else? LOOK AT #Julienite, those cheeky cobalt units with nitrogen, carbon and sulfur attached (what chemistry is that??). #Julienite gets my vote in today's #MinCup26

Image representing the crystal structure of calcite - here red spheres represent oxygen atoms, light blue spheres/polygons represent calcium atoms and brown spheres represent carbon atoms. The structure is viewed down close to its a-axis, and is made up of calcium atoms that attached to carbonate (CO3) groups that form layers through the structure. The representation is drawn in VESTA from entry #98 in the American mineralogist database.

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Dr. Wendy Panero @mineraltoplanet.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I just noticed that the number of recognized exoplanets [6360] recently surpassed the number of recognized minerals [6239]. It’s like noticing your car odometer at 100,003 miles. #mincup26

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Owen Missen @scimissionowen.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Pyromorphite sounds like some kind of fire demon, the name actually coming from its behaviour of reforming crystals after being melted into a globule! Old names included 'plumbo viridis' (green lead - pyromorphite being lead phosphate chloride). Vanadinite (V swapped for P) shares this structure!

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