Accidental synthesis of a previously unknown quasicrystal in the first atomic bomb test

Significance This article reports the discovery of a heretofore unknown icosahedral quasicrystal created by detonation first nuclear device at Alamogordo, NM, on 16 July 1945 (the Trinity test). Like all quasicrystals, new example violates crystallographic symmetry rules that apply to ordinary (periodic) crystals. It was found in sample red trinitite, combination glass fused from natural sand and anthropogenic copper transmission lines used during test. The is oldest extant known, whose place moment origin are known historic records thermodynamic/shock conditions formed it roughly comparable those quasicrystals recently meteorites.