[Image above] Credit: Alan Levine; Flickr CC BY 2.0
In addition to taking time the celebrate the holidays with traditions, gatherings, and gifts, I think the end of the year is a special time—it’s the perfect time for a little reflection and review of the past year.
A lot has happened, in my world, in the ACerS world, and in the general world (and beyond), in the past 360-ish days.
Looking back at all the stories we’ve covered on Ceramic Tech Today in the past year, I couldn’t help but pick a few of my favorites—some serious, some silly, but all with some interesting science.
Here are my top five favorite CTT posts from 2017—what are yours?
Glass viscosity calculations definitively debunk the myth of observable flow in medieval windows
Glass scientists have taken a closer look at the urban legend of glass flow in medieval windows—combining theory and experimental techniques, the results definitely bust the myth and indicate the highest ever direct measurement of glass viscosity at low temperatures.
What’s really inside your smartphone: A pile of raw minerals and serious social consequences
According to a laboratory compositional analysis, the elemental recipe for a 129-g Apple iPhone includes about 24.1% aluminum, 15.4% carbon, 14.4% iron, and 14.5% oxygen by weight. And altogether, that pile of smartphone powder—ground from a $700 device—has a raw elemental value of about $1.03.
To infinity and beyond—This glass is going places after building world’s largest telescope
The Giant Magellan Telescope, when completed and operational in 2023, will be the world’s largest telescope—but to build a giant, incredible telescope, you first need to build giant, incredible mirrors. And that process is currently underway at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona.
Glass goes ballistic: What happens when you shoot a bullet at Prince Rupert’s drops?
Prince Rupert’s drops are strong—but are they strong enough to survive being shot with a high-speed bullet at point-blank range? YouTube channel SmarterEveryDay recently posted a series of videos exploring the limits of strength of Prince Rupert’s drops in the face of some serious ammunition spewed from progressively bigger guns.
Under Armour’s bioceramic pajamas heal Tom Brady’s body while he sleeps
Athletic apparel maker Under Armor unveiled a bioceramic-laden line of sleepwear at CES 2017, touting the line’s endorsement by famed football player Tom Brady. But is there any real scientific benefit to sleeping in ceramics?
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