Materials follow the 'Rule of Four,' but scientists don't know why yet

Materials scientists have observed that about 60% of structures in two major databases have primitive unit cells composed of multiples of four atoms, a phenomenon they call the “Rule of Four.” Despite thorough investigations using advanced software and chemical theories, no definitive reason has been found for this pattern. This discovery could have implications for understanding the fundamental properties of materials, although the exact cause remains unclear. For further details, you can read the full article on Phys.org: