Welcome to Bragg Your Pattern,

our event which celebrates everything about patterns and crystals.

Everybody loves crystals, but what makes them extra special to scientists is that they contain wonderful repeating patterns of atoms and molecules.

These patterns allow scientists to use a special technique called “crystallography” to work out how those atoms and molecules are arranged, and what they look like. This is one of the most powerful tools science has for both understanding how nature works and for making useful new things, from advanced materials to better medicines.

Australia has a special connection to crystallography through one of the key creators of the technique being an Australian, Lawrence Bragg. In fact, he won a Nobel Prize for it at the tender age of only 25 (along with his dad)!

Now, in 2023, Melbourne will host the Congress of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr2023), attracting the top crystallographers from around the world to talk about the latest advances from all across science.

To celebrate this important meeting, we will be organising lots of fun activities on patterns for everyone to enjoy, even if you’re not going to the Congress! There’s lots to explore here, including an art competition in 2022, and a world record attempt and exhibition in 2023, so have a wander through and keep coming back as we update the site with more pattern-related goodness.