Scientists capture the moments of nascent crystal formation and growth: The crystals undergo stochastic fluctuation between crystalline and disordered states at the earliest stage of growth – Science Daily

Conversion of most materials into organized crystalline structure starts with the nucleation process. One everyday example that many people may be familiar with is the rapid crystalization of supercooled water after the nucleation of a seed crystal. This phenomenon has been perplexing both scientists and ordinary people alike. The nucleation process, in which the atoms gather and form the smallest crystals, has been an important scientific phenomenon that has been widely studied since the late 1800s….

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