• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

7 Man-Made Substances that Laugh in the Face of Physics

The non-Newtonian fluid was pretty wicked! Actually, all of those things were awesome, and I'd only heard of maybe half of them before.
 
You know I have never been one to think that if we just educate people they will automatically give up silly or fanatical beliefs, people are going to believe what they want, but sometimes when I see how amazing the world of science is and how it is as interesting as any fiction you could come up with I think everyone should be required to experience it.

And not to go off on a tangent here, but those ferrofluid structures look exactly like the kind of things creationsist would say you know are designed if you came across them.
 
Didn't Mythbusters test using non-newtonian fluid to stop a bullet? I'm pretty sure it didn't work. It would seem that the practical application they listed is busted.
 
One neat thing they forgot was shape memory metal. A metal that is "programmed", so even if you bend it in all kinds of shape, you stick it in warm water and it automatically goes back to it's original shape.

It's been around for a few years (that I know of) and I don't know why it's not in more use. Make car bumpers out of it, with he appropriate color die, and when you get a fender bener, just poor hot water on it until it pops back into shape without any dents of paint chipping.

Cellphone cases that don't chip or dent when dropped, and who knows what else.
 
And not to go off on a tangent here, but those ferrofluid structures look exactly like the kind of things creationsist would say you know are designed if you came across them.

It looked to me like the metallic shape-changing table in the X-Men movies; you know, the one they used to recreate cites for tactical purposes.
 
One neat thing they forgot was shape memory metal. A metal that is "programmed", so even if you bend it in all kinds of shape, you stick it in warm water and it automatically goes back to it's original shape.

It's been around for a few years (that I know of) and I don't know why it's not in more use. Make car bumpers out of it, with he appropriate color die, and when you get a fender bener, just poor hot water on it until it pops back into shape without any dents of paint chipping.

Cellphone cases that don't chip or dent when dropped, and who knows what else.

That would be kickass.

Science comes out with lots of really cool stuff that doesn't seem imaginable. Then you find programs that predict the future that shows unimaginable things and you think their stupid. A few years down the line, they've been incorporated somehow into something you own. Of course, considering the market for things, it'll probably be in an iPod.
 
One neat thing they forgot was shape memory metal. A metal that is "programmed", so even if you bend it in all kinds of shape, you stick it in warm water and it automatically goes back to it's original shape.

It's been around for a few years (that I know of) and I don't know why it's not in more use. Make car bumpers out of it, with he appropriate color die, and when you get a fender bener, just poor hot water on it until it pops back into shape without any dents of paint chipping.

Cellphone cases that don't chip or dent when dropped, and who knows what else.

How about couplings for aerospace hydraulic systems? Two tubes with plain ends butted together. One tube briefly pulled out of line while the coupling is slid all the way onto one tube. After realigning the tubes the coupling is slid into place so that the coupling is centered over the joint. Better work fast because when the coupling reaches room temperature the memory metal coupling will automatically clamp down hard enough to hold 3000 PSI!

The problems are that the couplings have to be delivered and stored in liquid nitrogen until a few moments before use. The tube ends also need to be chilled with the liquid nitrogen to keep the coupling from warming to room temperature too quickly.

No, I've no financial interest in the products. I have seen them used and prepared tubes for technicians using the products and watched their installation. http://www.aerofit.com/sma/fr-cryofit.htm
 
I'm always amazed at the stuff thats in laboratories around the world which means that in 10-20 years we'll use them in everyday life.

Just imagine those things in near future TV shows can actually happen and who knows what tech we'll use when our grandchildren are in our age.
 
I thought the aerogel was interesting. Especially the picture of the blowtorch trying to melt the crayons.
 
One neat thing they forgot was shape memory metal. A metal that is "programmed", so even if you bend it in all kinds of shape, you stick it in warm water and it automatically goes back to it's original shape.

It's been around for a few years (that I know of) and I don't know why it's not in more use. Make car bumpers out of it, with he appropriate color die, and when you get a fender bener, just poor hot water on it until it pops back into shape without any dents of paint chipping.

Cellphone cases that don't chip or dent when dropped, and who knows what else.

Cost for one, and it's "magic"able ability to remember degrades with use and the particular range of alloys that can do this are rather limited in application.

Been around for about 30 years or so, wasn't until the 1990s that research really took off on it.
 
Wow. Some guys dumped a bunch of corn-starch into a pool of water and ran across it. And somehow it's a marvel laughing at science.

That article, while neat in places, was written like shit.
 
Last edited:
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top