Researchers produce strong, transparent carbon nanotube sheets (big advance)

University of Texas at Dallas , physorg.com ^ | 18 Aug 05 | staff

[xcamel]

maybe star trek was half right...

except transparent flexible carbon instead of aluminum.

[spokeshave]

Sounds like a hoax to me

[Dreagon]

I wonder what kind of armor you could make out of this stuff?

[xcamel]

Physorg.com is a well respected source of cutting edge research

[Arkie2]

LOL! You know, that was my first thought when I read this! I can see old Scotty now giving up the formula for transparent Aluminum to save the whale(s). I thought about mentioning that but didn't know how many trekkers were out there and would get the analogy.

[Arkie2]

Who knows? Breakthroughs like this have a way of exceeding everyone's expectations. Who would have imagined the world wide web based on the early IBM computers?

[solzhenitsyn]

Fascinating! Thanks, Arkie2.

[xcamel]

Think of it this way (assuming all is true)

Stone Age
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Silicon Age
Carbon Age......

[Arkie2]

You're welcome! Another use of nanotubes I've read about would be in the so called space elevator. They didn't mention it in the article but I wonder if that might not be another application. I've also read there are serious health issues associated with the production of these nanotubes. Hope that doesn't derail them before we can actually get to use them!

[battlecry]

And next, the Diamond Age...

[RightWhale]

Who would have imagined the world wide web based on the early IBM computers?

Graphics was a little tricky and color displays were limited, but the rest of it wasn't a problem.

[xcamel]

Point taken, Diamond being carbon and all....

[jigsaw]

The latest research was funded by the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, an agency of the United States
Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific
Research...

Well, that there sez it all -- this here nanotube stuff must be pure evil.   [/sarc]

[Winston Smith]

One hour later the Chinese technology spies delivered the formula to their Communist masters.

I know I'm paranoid..so does that me ahead or behind the curve?

[msf92497]

It's all President Bush's fault...

[Amish with an attitude]

Stone Age
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Silicon Age
Carbon Age
Dilithium Age

Dilithium is an element, mostly occuring as crystalline mineral (known also by the longer formula- 2(5)6 dilithlum 2(:)l diallosilicate 1:9:1 heptoferranide), that is used in the warp drive systems of many starships. Dilithium regulates the matter/antimatter reactions, thereby controlling the amount of power generated in...

[Fitzcarraldo]

[xcamel]

One lump, or two?

[the invisib1e hand]

Researchers produce strong, transparent carbon nanotube sheets (big advance)

I, for one, am profoundly relieved to learn this.