As crystals explode in popularity, collectors are paying millions, cutting museums out of the industry. So how'd the Smithsonian land a giant quartz? More from Big Business As crystals explode in ...

sources most of her stones from Madagascar and you'd be hard-pressed to find a more spectacular collection of crystal spheres and giant quartz towers. She vets her suppliers not just for quality ...

Piezoelectricity—a crystal can generate a tiny electric charge when its atomic structure is squeezed strong enough—occurs in many minerals but is particularly strong in quartz. What if this ...

Did a collision with a giant asteroid or comet change ... Fractured Crystals These crystals, often called "shocked quartz," show a distinctive pattern of fracturing caused by high-energy impacts ...