Title: What is a Crystal? A new paradigm for an old question

Speaker: Ron Lifshitz(School of Physics & Astronomy, Tel Aviv University)

Abstract: The discovery of quasicrystals signalled the beginning of a remarkable scientific revolution, in which some of the most basic notions of condensed matter physics and material science have undergone a thorough re-examination. Over four decades later, the field continues to intrigue us with scientific puzzles, surprising discoveries, and new possibilities for applications. I will focus on some current issues from my own research – such as soft matter quasicrystals and photonic applications based on metamaterials – but only after giving a concise overview for non-specialists of what quasicrystals are, and why their discovery was so important.