# How do crystals work?

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: Graham Baird
- Year: 2019
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Biology, Earth and environment
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/graham_baird_how_do_crystals_work)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Many crystals have signature shapes— like the cascade of pointed quartz or a pile of galena cubes. Every crystal's atoms have a defining feature: their organized, repeating pattern. The pattern isn't restricted to minerals- sand, ice, metals and DNA also have crystalline structures. So what causes them to grow into these shapes again and again? Graham Baird dives into the unique properties of crystals. \[Directed by Franz Palomares, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Carlos Palomares\].

## Lectures

1. [How do crystals work?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/graham_baird_how_do_crystals_work/75630a721c1f), 5 min (TED's player)