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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: vyper on April 27, 2005, 07:59:32 pm

Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: vyper on April 27, 2005, 07:59:32 pm
http://www.wired.com/news/space/0,2697,67350,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_5

[q]NASA will pay Rice University $11 million over the next four years to develop an experimental power cable made from carbon nanotubes, the agency announced Tuesday.

The cable, also known as a quantum wire, would theoretically conduct electricity up to 10 times better than traditional copper wire and weigh one-sixth as much.

...

...carbon nanotubes seem so versatile that scientists believe they may one day end up in everything from batteries to military armor -- provided that they can be produced easily and cheaply.

"There is a new miracle polymer to be developed," said Smalley. "I believe this is a tremendously important objective for modern society." [/q]
Title: Re: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: MatthewPapa on April 27, 2005, 08:37:59 pm
Quote
Originally posted by vyper
http://www.wired.com/news/space/0,2697,67350,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_5

[q]NASA will pay Rice University $11 million over the next four years to develop an experimental power cable made from carbon nanotubes, the agency announced Tuesday.

The cable, also known as a quantum wire, would theoretically conduct electricity up to 10 times better than traditional copper wire and weigh one-sixth as much.

...

...carbon nanotubes seem so versatile that scientists believe they may one day end up in everything from batteries to military armor -- provided that they can be produced easily and cheaply.

"There is a new miracle polymer to be developed," said Smalley. "I believe this is a tremendously important objective for modern society." [/q]


Makes me proud to live in Houston :)
I could probably go to Rice if I wanted to but....I would be one of the stupidest people there.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Bucky-Balls (a third form of carbon thas stronger than diamonds) they developed a few years ago.
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Grey Wolf on April 27, 2005, 08:48:56 pm
I'm not quite sure, but I don't believe carbon nanotubes have anything to do with fullerene.
Title: Re: Re: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Taristin on April 27, 2005, 08:59:25 pm
Quote
Originally posted by MatthewPapa

Bucky-Balls



:nervous:


I can't help but think of deer(s) when I read that... :shaking:
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Night Hammer on April 27, 2005, 09:15:52 pm
intresting
Title: Re: Re: Re: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Anaz on April 27, 2005, 09:16:35 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Raa



:nervous:


I can't help but think of deer(s) when I read that... :shaking:


Damn furs :p

On topic: that's pretty nifty.
Title: Re: Re: Re: Re: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Taristin on April 27, 2005, 09:19:08 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Anaz


Damn furs :p


It doesn't help that there's an artist called "Bucky Boy" on there somewhere...
Title: Re: Re: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Black Wolf on April 27, 2005, 10:29:04 pm
Quote
Originally posted by MatthewPapa

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Bucky-Balls (a third form of carbon thas stronger than diamonds) they developed a few years ago.


Not really - but Bucky balls are going to have applications in nanotech, though nothing like the significance that these things will reach.
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Bobboau on April 27, 2005, 10:59:27 pm
orbital elevator.
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Sandwich on April 28, 2005, 12:24:17 am
It's when they perform self-repair that I'll be worried.
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Carl on April 28, 2005, 01:21:45 am
nanotubes are 10x stronger than diamond as well. they are also prohibitively expensive to make.
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: T1g4h on April 28, 2005, 10:17:57 am
Quote
Originally posted by Carl
nanotubes are 10x stronger than diamond as well. they are also prohibitively expensive to make.


I can imagine why...
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Sandwich on April 28, 2005, 11:20:48 am
"...but honey, this nanotube ring is a dozen times more expensive than the usual boring gold and diamond-"

*SMACK*
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: vyper on April 28, 2005, 11:42:25 am
Why can I see this turning into something from Desperate Housewives.
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: karajorma on April 28, 2005, 01:56:56 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Grey Wolf
I'm not quite sure, but I don't believe carbon nanotubes have anything to do with fullerene.


Take a buckyball. Add some extra carbon atoms in the middle and you end up with a rugby ball shaped C70 molecule.

Do that a lot and you end up with a carbon nanotube.
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Grug on April 29, 2005, 05:49:14 am
Lol.

Didn't think I'd ever see chemistry jokes again. :p
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Carl on April 29, 2005, 06:53:50 am
on a side note, nanotubes have nothing to do with nanoprobes. so the title of this thread is WRONG!
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: vyper on April 29, 2005, 07:16:08 am
Ah, suck ma unimatrix.
Title: The borg were onto something [New tech]
Post by: Flaser on April 29, 2005, 01:31:53 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Bobboau
orbital elevator.


Not likely - at least until we finally put or electro-magnetic theories in their proper place.
It's not widely spread, but electro-magnetic fields were misinterpreted/used for years.
(You gotta know what the characteristics of the signal will be, then you can solve the Maxwell formula, and from that you can figure out the characteristics...

...so you have to "guess what" and see if things match up.
It's like a snake biting its own tail, and it was misused for years.)

The problem with the orbital elevator no one solved so far is what effects it will have on the atmosphere.
You put a constant spike into the ionosphere shortcircuting it.