Color the Diverse 3D Shapes Studied by Crystallographers

10/25 

Download the PDF or request bulk copies for use in outreach and education.

This coloring book illustrates the crystallographic pipeline.

Structures from the CSD and PDB are highlighted.

Crystallography is the study of atomic and molecular structure. Crystallographers want to know how the atoms in a material are arranged in order to understand the relationship between atomic structure and properties of these materials. They work in many disciplines, including chemistry, geology, biology, materials science, metallurgy and physics. Crystallographers study diverse substances, from living cells to superconductors, from protein molecules to ceramics.

This book focuses on the diverse 3D shapes and functions of biological molecules studied by crystallography. Crystallographers make these 3D structure data publicly available in online resources like the Protein Data Bank and the Cambridge Structural Database. This broad access helps researchers, educators, and students around the world better understand biology and medicine.

Crystallographers also work together in strong communities. The American Crystallographic Association (ACA) is a non-profit, scientific organization that promotes interactions among scientists who study the structure of matter at atomic (or near atomic) resolution.

This coloring book was created with support from the ACA. Download the booklet or individual pages from PDB-101.

Bulk copies may be requested for use in outreach and education.