Challenges in crystal growth science and the microgravity tool

Selected scientific topics where microgravity experiments help to solve general problems of crystal growth science are discussed. These are coupling between interface kinetics, diffusion and convection mass transport, dendritic growth, pattern formation, detached growth and crystal perfection. Specific attention is paid to biomacromolecular crystallization. Recent findings show that at least some of the crystals grown in space are purer than their terrestrial counterparts. This may open the way to faster move of the biocrystallization area from art to science and help to eliminate ever-narrowing bottleneck for development of structural biology.