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Martian Republic

Member

From: Haltom City- Dallas/Fort Worth

Registered: 2004-06-13

Posts: 855

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

Transparent Alumina

Do you remember when Scotty gave the formula to a twentieth Century Man because they need some so they could pick up some whales. Transparent Alumina has now been invented now. Take a look at this.

http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/n … /6502.html

http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/8/8 … news/8/8/9

http://www.rense.com/general20/transpar … ntalum.htm

What can I say?

Larry,

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

Does any one know the light properties if it were used to make panels for a green house with regards to plant growth.

This also was talked about under the glass topic a why back under life support.

http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=225

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

Transparent Alumina

Do you remember when Scotty gave the formula to a twentieth Century Man because they need some so they could pick up some whales.

*What I remember most about Scotty in that particular ST movie were his attempts to engage a 1980s computer by talking to it ala 22nd century technology.  Then he grumbled when having to use the keyboard.  LOL! 

I type an average of 9 hours 5 days a week...so it sort of "sticks out" in my memory.

Sorry...back on topic.

--Cindy

"Computer...computer...hellooooo???"  -laugh-

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We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

Cobra Commander

Member

From: The outskirts of Detroit.

Registered: 2002-04-09

Posts: 3,039

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

*What I remember most about Scotty in that particular ST movie were his attempts to engage a 1980s computer by talking to it ala 22nd century technology.

I talk to my computer all the time. Well, threaten it really. 

I seem to recall hearing something about this transparent alumina development before, a few years ago.  ???

Anyway, I suddenly have this vision of a Mars/Earth cycler with an entire observation deck made of this stuff. Everywhere you look, a clear view of space.

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Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.

Grypd

Member

From: Scotland, Europe

Registered: 2004-06-07

Posts: 1,879

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

Well if they can do that get them working on warp drives

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Chan eil mi aig a bheil ùidh ann an gleidheadh an status quo; Tha mi airson cur às e.

GCNRevenger

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2003-10-14

Posts: 6,056

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

This is transparent Alumina, not Aluminum (Al2O3 Aluminum Oxide, not Aluminum Metal). Its a ceramic solid, so yeah is strong, but like most ceramics and unlike steel it has one big drawback... its brittle. It will still shatter if you hit it hard enough like glass would, you just have to hit it a little harder.

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[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]

[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]

Cobra Commander

Member

From: The outskirts of Detroit.

Registered: 2002-04-09

Posts: 3,039

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

Its a ceramic solid, so yeah is strong, but like most ceramics and unlike steel it has one big drawback... its brittle. It will still shatter if you hit it hard enough like glass would, you just have to hit it a little harder.

"How hard?" is the question. Hell, steel can shatter if subjected to enough stress. Done it.

I'm especially curious as to the ballistics properties of this material, for all I know on the matter it could be anywhere from a flower pot to ceramic armor plate.

The latter, even semi-transparent opens up all sorts of possibilites, but somehow I suspect that's asking too much. Add to the list of "wait and see..."

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Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.

C M Edwards

Member

From: Lake Charles LA USA

Registered: 2002-04-29

Posts: 1,012

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

Hmm... Seems this stuff would be about like sapphire.  The largest optical quality sapphire "window" I've ever seen was the size of my thumb.  I'm trying to imagine one the size of my living room picture window.

(Where's the :drool: smiley on this thing?)

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"We go big, or we don't go."  - GCNRevenger

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: Transparent Alumina - When Science fiction meet Science fact!

See I did not imagine it....