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Being the hip new age science junkies that we are, we Why Filers are as excited about crystals as the next guy (especially when they're valuable!). As a result, we were interested to learn that the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has grown the world's largest fast-growth crystal.

While we can't guarantee that hanging this 701 pound rock from your rear-view mirror will help you feel more alive, the potassium dihyrogen phosphate crystal (KDP) will play an important role in the construction of a new laser being build by LLNL. The crystals are used to convert laser beams to ultraviolet light just before the beams strike their target. You may be comforted to know that the technology will help make nuclear warheads more accurate, just in case.

The massive crystal was created by placing a synthetic seed crystal into a metric ton tank of supersaturated KDP solution. This solution was initially heated to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and then the temperature was slowly lowered to maintain supersaturation. This technique allowed the crystal to grow at roughly a half inch per day.

Image courtesy of the United States Department of Energy.


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			Shirley MacLaine Eat Your Heart Out Being the hip new age science junkies that we are, we Why Filers are as excited about crystals as the next guy (especially when they're valuable!). As a result, we were interested to learn that the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has grown the world's largest fast-growth crystal. While we can't guarantee that hanging this 701 pound rock from your rear-view mirror will help you feel more alive, the potassium dihyrogen phosphate crystal (KDP) will play an important role in the construction of a new laser being build by LLNL. The crystals are used to convert laser beams to ultraviolet light just before the beams strike their target. You may be comforted to know that the technology will help make nuclear warheads more accurate, just in case. The massive crystal was created by placing a synthetic seed crystal into a metric ton tank of supersaturated KDP solution. This solution was initially heated to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and then the temperature was slowly lowered to maintain supersaturation. This technique allowed the crystal to grow at roughly a half inch per day. Image courtesy of the United States Department of Energy.