Invented by elves working for Houston-based DexMat, Galvorn is a metal fiber that is stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum, and conducts electricity like copper. It is typically made into tape, yarn, thread or mesh. Apparently, it looks to have applications in green technology. It's only negative quality is that it sometimes makes people dizzy. Scientists discover ‘magical’ material that’s stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum — and its potential is dizzying
Very informative - thanks. I think a potentially interesting point is how this came about, policy-wise. Home - DexMat First, a lot of subsidized basic research - ARPA, CIA, USAF, DOE. Common model, good track record, but often overlooked in rhetoric. Plus university research, in this case Rice University, a great research institution. And look at the diversity of the team they feature. Looks like (trying to find out origins from LinkedIn- may be off), the company is headed (and the primary advances shepherded by) a native born American, a Russian and an Italian, likely naturalized or with other status that recognizes how much the US benefits from attracting the best minds to a free diverse society. The Sr. Research Scientist appears conventional Anglo, but the primary engineer is a female with at least Hispanic heritage. The Production Technician appears to be African, a graduate of Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic. The Production Engineer appears to be Anglo from California. Combining in Texas to develop a potentially revolutionary technology. Again, I am just looking at their website and LinkedIn. But that is what it looks like. It's a beautiful thing, what truly makes America great.
Here is a new material in the "unusual" department: shrimp shell leather. Apparently, it is possible to make a synthetic leather starting from shrimp shells (and mushrooms, among other things). Company discovers mind-blowing use for discarded shrimp shells: ‘A new class of material’
Shrimp shells contain chitin, which can be extracted and reacted into chitosan which can be polymerized into a plastic.
Coming soon: a stronger concrete. First, you'll need some coffee... Scientists make breakthrough in research that could change the way our homes are constructed: ‘A significant result’ Please note that adding concrete will not make your coffee stronger. It will only make your coffee stranger.
An interesting article on concrete. The Romans started using it a couple thousand years ago, and their concrete lasts longer than modern concrete. Many of the aqueducts are still standing, as is the Pantheon. However, modern concrete does not last as long as the old Roman concrete. Scientists finally discovered the secret. Roman concrete has chunks of lime in it, and these allow the concrete to heal cracks that form over time. The chunks in the Roman concrete were known for some time, but previously assumed to be defects in the material / mixture. 6 historical mysteries that scientists finally cracked in 2023 — and one they didn’t
Interesting. Need to invent the tech to allow for hot mixing at the construction site as that seems to be the primary difference. Pantheon was impressive to visit and considering its age. Parts of the vatican came from metals stripped from t the pantheon. Too great of a building for the catholics to destroy so they repurposed it.
I did not realize when I visited Rome that the Pantheon was an actual church. There were no pews, I don't recall a raised area with an altar. I just remember it as a historical tourist site (which, of course, all of the churches in Rome are) where former kings and leaders of Italy are buried in the walls. The Church re-purposed most of the rectangular Roman temples around the city by filling in between the outer columns with bricks.
Whatever happened to one atom thick graphene? Its properties are amazing and held (holds?) great promise.
Speaking of "filling in" some new ideas about the construction of the great pyramid of Giza suggests that the pyramid was not constructed with 2.3 million finely chisled blocks weighing tons, put together to form the impressive monument that nobody can explain how could be done. A new idea is the pyramid was built with an exoskeleton, that yes indeed was finely made and covered with wonderfully polished casing blocks, and the interior was constructed with a series of support buttresses, the spaces between the buttresses were filled in with spoils and a slush mud binding, from the block quarries. Think of a modern day concrete pour in a form although this is a rather rough and inaccurate comparison. This theory suggests that 40 to 60% of the pyramids volume may consist of this material. Observations of Al Amuns 14th century tunnel lead credence to this idea. This idea is picking up a little steam outside the stuck in the mud "Egyptology" community led by Hawass, the self appointed I know everything about everything Egyptian beauracrat that wants to control all aspects of research and narratives regarding the most impressive example of Classical monumental architecture in the world.
Well, the form would have to be extremely strong to support all of the fill material at that height and volume. It seems like their would be a high risk of the exoskeleton collapsing inward as it was being constructed, if there was nothing underneath it to prevent that. Once you finished a course of exterior stones, it would probably be stabilized. One possibility is that as each course of stones was constructed, it was filled in with sand to help support the next course. Then after everything was done, the sand was removed. This is how they theorized the heavy stones were moved to the top of the pyramids: a sand ramp going around the pyramid. But it wouldn't explain the difficulties in removing all the sand and bringing in the buttress stones. Maybe the buttress stones were inside before they started, and were arranged afterwards. Reinforced concrete would have made things much easier.
Yeah, the construction means and methods employed by Egyptians (ARO) 4,500 years ago is of course, in all probability, the most discussed, considered, researched, excavated, and fought over, topic of Architecture that has ever existed in world history. Me I would like to see 2 things: 1 - Go into the recently discovered 90 Meter cavity discovered by Muon Scans. 2 - Re-excavate under the Queens chamber and do a more comprehensive clearing of blocks and rubble to see if further unexplored chambers are down there.
