Transparent Alumina and it's slashdot discussion wich conclude it's not new.
I read somewhere recently (was it popular machanics, scientific america, wired... i can't remember) that transparent aluminum had been created. Now, like the article suggested, my thoughts turned towards star trek 4 (themovie)
In reality it's not aluminum, but aluminia.
I brought up this topic at work - and some coworkers laughed at the idea star trek actually gave us some good ideas (they found it amusing, not in the context of making fun of it)
I figured i'd better check my facts as i'm prone to not always read correctly or spew 'facts' (I tend to entrepret more then recite) - and it appears I was right (as usual). there, have some of that, coworkers.
Friday, October 22, 2004
almost transparent aluminum
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3 comments:
there, does this ring more true of a nerdy tail for k2h?
yeah.. its more nerdy alright.. so nerdy its downright BORING. you do bring up a good point about startrek giving us some good inovation. I do think that fiction gives us something to strive for. a type of goal. a glimps into the future. (by the way, where is my FLYING car anyway? by 1960's guesses we were all suppose to have them by now)
and the 80's and 90's really let us down by not producing cold fusion.
now we are stuck with this fuel cell hogwash that uses some of the most refined fuel (natural gas for the hydrogen source) on the planet. how is that MOVING FORWARD.
i got no idea where this rant is going.... I Just had to mix in and bunch of junk and get it off my chest.
one could argue that science fiction has long influenced science. for refuting and inspiring. for instance the communicators on star trek inspired cell phones. there are others, but i can't think of them.
oh yah, alumina... i use that to separate things in what is called chromatography. the alumina can be made basic, neutral, or acidic. what i use is opaque, but the structure is such that i can see how it can easily be made to be transparent.
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