Niggli ni a bi ni Zofingen ati ki o kẹkọọ ni Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) ni Zurich ati University of Zurich, ibi ti o ti gba a doctorate. rẹ 1919 iwe, Geometrische Kristallographie des Diskontinuums, dun a seminal ipa ni awọn atunse ti aaye ẹgbẹ ẹkọ. ninu iwe yi, Niggli fi han wipe biotilejepe X-ray reflection ipo ko nigbagbogbo uniquely pinnu awọn aaye ẹgbẹ si eyi ti a kirisita jẹ ti, nwọn ṣe fi han kan kekere nọmba ti ṣee ṣe aaye awọn ẹgbẹ si eyi ti o le jẹ ti. Niggli lo morphological ọna lati iroyin fun inu be ati, ninu rẹ 1928 Kristallographische und theoretische Strukturische Grundfefe, o si mu soke ohun ti o jẹ pataki awọn pada ilana, awọn iṣẹ-ṣiṣe ti iṣeto awọn asopọ laarin lattices ati ita aaye morphology.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) ní Zurich àti Yunifásítì Zurich