Dan Shechtman interview: How important are quasicrystals?

The main importance of quasiperiodic materials, as of now, is the paradigm shift that they created in crystallography. They opened the field of crystallography. Before, it was very closed. It was a mature science... ..and nobody expected any great discoveries in this science. Now, there is a new definition for a crystal. The new definition is humble and accepting. It opened the field to new discoveries. Now, if we have new discoveries, they will be accepted much faster. This is important. It is a great progress in the field.