Crystal impervious to radiation could be used in spaceship computers

A crystal that can resist incredibly high doses of radiation could be used to build durable electronics for space travel or nuclear reactors.

When particle radiation hits a semiconductor – the conductive materials used to make electronics – it can knock atoms out of place, changing the material’s properties. This means that electronic devices in high radiation environments must be made more robust. One compound that has shown promise is gallium oxide, a semiconductor that can take five different crystalline forms.