United Nations Proclaims 2014 as the International Year of Crystallography

摘要

What do stamp collectors and mineralogists have in common? Probably not much, except that a few practitioners in both fields occasionally share a mutual interest in the other's chosen occupation or hobby. Because of that chance interest in both areas, I recently learned of a United Nations resolution that declared 2014 as the International Year of Crystallography.Among stamp collectors, "International Year of. . ." is a common theme among topical collectors, and many countries issue special commemorative stamps to honor such year-long recognitions. There have been years devoted to the child, human rights, women, the disabled, world communications, peace, chemistry, biodiversity, etc. One of the few "geological years" occurred in 1958 when the world celebrated the "International Geophysical Year" (See figures 1 and 2). Collecting such "stuff can be fun, of course.