“Spring is like a hand perhaps/carefully/moving perhaps/a fraction of a flower here by placing/an inch of air there.. ./without breaking anything. »– EE CummingsNanochemistry: Beautiful nanoflowersWho would have thought that the beauty of nature could be created chemically? Complex nanostructures are born from a chemical reaction created at Harvard. As noted in the article Beautiful Nano-Flowers, "By simply manipulating chemical gradients in a beaker of fluid, Wim L. Noorduin, a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), found that he could control the growth behavior of these crystals to create precisely tailored structures. With nanochemistry, the most delicate floral structures are created, “but not on the scale of inches, but of microns”. Although they are made from crystals, the tiny sculptures are curved and delicate, so they do not resemble the pointy or cubic shapes commonly associated with crystals. As Noorduin says in the article: “For at least 200 years, people have been intrigued by how complex shapes could have evolved in nature. This work helps demonstrate what is possible simply through environmental and chemical changes. Nanochemistry, which is “the branch of science that examines the synthesis, analysis, and structure of chemical compounds at the nanoscale,” helps create these beautiful, complex structures, but can be used for much more. Depending on the reaction of the compounds propagating through the liquid solution, the precipitation of the crystals varies. As the article says: “Crystals move toward or away from certain chemical gradients as the pH of the reaction varies back and forth. The conditions of the reaction determine whether the structure resembles large radiating leaves... middle of paper... fields of corals and sponges. Sometimes I forget to take photos because it's so fun to explore. Although the science of nanochemistry can be used to create beautiful works of art, the applications of nanochemistry are not as exciting, but very important. For example: “The folds of these 3D microstructures pack a large surface area into a tiny space – an important factor for the production of chemicals that rely on catalysts, substances that speed up chemical reactions. The more surface area available, the more catalysts you can add and the more efficient the reaction. Applications could even help the environment by using “nanomaterials” to create sensors that will detect specific molecules and these detectors can be used in applications for detecting and “monitoring pollutants in water”. What chemistry can create is fascinating..