Transparent Aluminum - it exists!

[Usquanigo]

http://gajitz.com/science-you-so-crazy-transparent-aluminum-made-in-lab/

Maybe the crew of the Enerprise really DID travel back to the 20th century..... :blink:

 

[Unstung]

If the transparency can last, see-though planes anyone? That would be scary.

So, transparent aluminum is used in the windows for Star Trek, which means it can give large panoramic views outside of the spacecraft. Awesome.

 

[Hielor]

So, transparent aluminum is used in the windows for Star Trek, which means it can give large panoramic views outside of the spacecraft. Awesome.

Actually, in First Contact, Picard talks about how there's nothing in the window at all--just a force field keeping the air in.

 

[garyw]

Actually, in First Contact, Picard talks about how there's nothing in the window at all--just a force field keeping the air in.

Different window. That was one that had a big shutter in front of it.

The rest of them use 3-inch or so thick transparent aluminum.

 

[Urwumpe]

The transparent Aluminum from last year, that is transparent for 40 femtoseconds?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727130814.htm

 

[replicant]

Sigh, I only wish I were younger. What I would't give to see what the next 50 to 100 years will bring.

 

[Izack]

Sensationalism and Stark Trek jokes aside...this isn't really a breakthrough. The aluminium shown can't be made into a window; it's a transient phenomenon and will revert quickly. I noticed they barely mentioned this little detail in the article.

 

[Hartmann]

Well in future perhaps they find the way to make the 40 femtosecons to blink very fast like a shutter and making possible to have a window or a solid wall of Aluminium.

 

[Eccentrus]

well, I once watched in Discovery channel that Aluminium Crystals are made into winshields for Humvees because it can block even a sniper round.

 

[Izack]

Well in future perhaps they find the way to make the 40 femtosecons to blink very fast like a shutter and making possible to have a window or a solid wall of Aluminium.

That's a lot of X-rays we're talking about... :lol:

 

[Richy]

Maybe they're able to dope aluminium like we to with silicium to creat semiconductors, so the effect could be kept and evtl. electrically controlled (just a vision, but who knows what the next 50 years will bring)!

 

[T.Neo]

Has nobody brought up [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_oxynitride"]Aluminium oxynitride[/ame] in this thread yet?

It is not strictly aluminium, but a ceramic material. And it has some interesting properties...

 

[Usquanigo]

Sensationalism and Stark Trek jokes aside...this isn't really a breakthrough. The aluminium shown can't be made into a window; it's a transient phenomenon and will revert quickly. I noticed they barely mentioned this little detail in the article.

Details details.... ya gotta start somewhere. The same commentary could have been made about the first vacuum tubes, and now look at where we are.