Photo: Utumporn Yawichai | Unsplash
At just 15, UK high schooler Gry Christensen played a crucial role in advancing our understanding of how crystals form, a question with pivotal impacts on everything from medicine to materials science. Alongside 1,000 peers, her "citizen science" project involved preparing samples of calcium carbonate, common in mussel shells, for examination in a powerful particle accelerator. The project aimed to control the formation of different crystal structures, a complex phenomenon with implications for the potency of critical drugs and the strength of materials like steel. "The chemistry really helped me to have an insight into the natural world," says Gry. The initiative has ignited a passion for real-world chemistry among the participating students, a few even landing interview opportunities for internships. As Gry reflects, "it was like you were doing something for the real world, not just an experiment at school."
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