“There is no such animal (אין חיה כזו)”—Lessons of a discovery

Abstract

The discovery of quasicrystals by Dan Shechtman in the early 1980s was a conspicuous event in materials science not only because it led to the production of a plethora of new materials but also because it signified the demise of a dogma in the science of condensed phase materials concerning symmetry restrictions. Having the discovery recognized was not easy and it required stamina on Shechtman’s part. The story of the quasicrystal discovery offers a set of lessons that might be useful to remember in similar situations.