University of Michigan scientists performed the first quantum-mechanical simulations to explain the fundamental stability of quasicrystals, solids exhibiting non-repeating atomic lattices and five-fold symmetry. The study resolves longstanding puzzles following Daniel Shechtman’s 1984 discovery. The findings unveil that quasicrystals can be energetically stable arrangements, despite similarities to disordered solids like glass. This breakthrough aids predictive materials design by illuminating atomic arrangement principles in complex solids.