Physicists at the University of Bristol have recently made a groundbreaking discovery involving the creation of the world’s most challenging maze using a chess sequence. This maze, known as a Hamiltonian cycle, is a path that visits all points on a graph at least once and is inspired by the movement of a knight on a chessboard. The researchers have linked this maze to the structure of quasicrystals, rare crystals that do not follow the traditional rules of symmetry.
Quasicrystals were first theorized in 1981 and discovered in 1982, which led to the scientist who found them, Dan Shechtman, being initially discredited before later receiving the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2011. These structures have since been found in various forms, including in meteorites, fossilized lightning, and even in the aftermath of the Trinity bomb test in 1945.
To recreate the intricate structure of quasicrystals, the researchers used a 2D version of Ammann-Beenker tiling, similar to Penrose tiles, and developed an algorithm to find a Hamiltonian cycle over these tiles. This approach allowed them to mathematically represent each atom in a quasicrystal from start to finish, resulting in an infinitely scalable fractal maze.
Beyond its mesmerizing pattern, the Hamiltonian cycle developed by the researchers has practical applications, such as providing a faster way for scanning tunneling microscopes to scan objects and offering insights into the folding of complex proteins. Additionally, it could help in efficiently capturing carbon dioxide molecules from the atmosphere.
This research sheds light on the complex properties of quasicrystals and opens up new possibilities for solving challenging problems in various fields. The intricate maze created by the physicists not only showcases their innovative approach but also highlights the potential of quasicrystals in advancing scientific understanding and technological developments.
