2014 is the International Year of Crystallography (IYCr2014), which is an event promoted in the year 2014 by the United Nations to celebrate the centenary of the discovery of X-ray crystallography and to emphasise the global importance of crystallography in human life. One of the main goals of IYCr2014 is to increase public awareness of the science of crystallography and especially to inspire young people.

IMAGINARY takes part in the event by cooperating with the Philatelie Liechtenstein in creating a stamp series which features 13 frames of a SURFER animation by Bianca Violet showing an artistic metamorphosis of a crystal. The Design of the two stamps was created by HP Gassner and the images of the first day covers are screenshots of the program Crystal Flight by Jeff Weeks. Additionally, a free smartphone application is offered using augmented reality technology to identify the stamps and start the original SURFER-animation.

We also want to point your attention to the interactive Museum of Minerals and Mathematics (MiMa) in Oberwolfach, Germany. The MiMa museum does not only host the one-of-a-kind minerals of the Black Forest region or provides insights into mathematical theories, it especially presents the connection between minerals and mathematics: interactive installations let you understand symmetry and crystallography in a playful way.

As a contribution to IYCr2014, please read a new article on Crystals and Mathematics (in German), which can be found in the texts section of the IMAGINARY platform.