When a calcite crystal is placed onto a printed page, the letters appear doubled. This is the result of a property called birefringence. A new material that is among the most birefringent solids ever ...

This release is also availabe in German. When a calcite crystal is placed onto a printed page, the letters appear doubled. This is the result of a property called birefringence. Scientists at the ...

This is an eample of birefringence in calcite (Iceland spar). Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions ...

Calcite's birefringence produces two images of text with different polarizations. A correctly oriented polarizer screens out one of the images. The calcite crystal is fragile. Handle with care. The ...

The idea that the Vikings navigated across the Atlantic using birefringent Iceland spar (calcite) to locate the Sun's position on cloudy days is surely one of the most ingenious and captivating recent ...

PROF. W. L. BRAGG 1 explains the strong birefringence of some carbonates and nitrates as being due to the interaction of the optical dipoles induced in the component atoms. For example, X-ray analysis ...