U.S. Naval Research Lab develops transparent aluminum

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the development of "transparent aluminum" by the U.S. Naval Research Lab, exploring its implications, properties, and comparisons to materials like sapphire and aluminum oxide. Participants engage in a mix of technical reasoning, cultural references to science fiction, and debates over terminology and definitions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express excitement about the concept of transparent aluminum, linking it to science fiction and its potential applications.
  • Several participants challenge the terminology, asserting that the material in question is a ceramic compound rather than aluminum, which leads to discussions about the accuracy of the term "transparent aluminum."
  • There are differing opinions on the comparison of sapphire to transparent aluminum, with some arguing that sapphire has properties similar to the fictional material, while others dispute this analogy.
  • One participant mentions that spinel and aluminum oxynitride (AlON) have been referred to as "transparent aluminum" and discusses their cost and potential applications in armor.
  • Participants engage in playful banter regarding the definitions and properties of materials, referencing cultural elements from "Star Trek" and the implications of poetic license in language.
  • Discussions also touch on the historical context of the term and its usage in popular culture, with references to specific quotes from "Star Trek."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the terminology used to describe the material, with multiple competing views on whether it can be accurately called "transparent aluminum." The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of this terminology and the comparisons made between different materials.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that the article lacks clarity on what is new about the development of transparent aluminum, suggesting that previous materials have been referred to by the same name. The discussion reveals a dependence on definitions and the nuances of language in scientific discourse.

  • #31
Borg said:
Imager is correct. It is avarice.
Be kind of hard to imagine otherwise. Scotty was known for his brogue and for "givin' it all I've got", but not for general ignorance.
 
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  • #32
phinds said:
Be kind of hard to imagine otherwise. Scotty was known for his brogue and for "givin' it all I've got", but not for general ignorance.
Ha! fresh strikes back: It's McCoy saying it, not Scotty!
 
  • #33
fresh_42 said:
Ha! fresh strikes back: It's McCoy saying it, not Scotty!
Well, hell, he was just a medic, not an Engineer, so I guess he could have done :smile:
 
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  • #34
davenn said:
McCoy used Everest ... maybe referring to some fictional person in the ST world ?

I had to google avarice ... which isn't the name for a person

NOUN
  1. extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
which would describe a person

Dave

I still have to google "avarice", after all these years.

What I heard:
Part of it's, brutality, and innocence
Part of it's an innocence​

Never did make sense...

What she actually sang:
Artifice, brutality and innocence
Artifice and innocence​
"Everest" makes much more sense as a misappropriation of "avarice", than "part of it's".
Gosh darn song never did make sense, until I actually read the lyrics.

ps. When's the last time anyone heard someone use "avarice" in a sentence?
 
  • #35
OmCheeto said:
ps. When's the last time anyone heard someone use "avarice" in a sentence?

never heard of the word before it was posted above LOL
 
  • #36
davenn said:
never heard of the word before it was posted above LOL

I rest my case.
(as neither had I, before I read the lyrics)
 
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  • #37
According to StackExchange SciFi:NICHOLS: Transparent aluminum?
SCOTT: That's the ticket, laddie.
NICHOLS: It would take years just to figure out the dynamics of this matrix.
McCOY: Yes, but you'd be rich beyond the dreams of avarice.
SCOTT: So, is it worth something to you? Or should I just punch up 'clear'.
NICHOLS: No! No! (a female employee comes into the office) ...Not now Madeline! ...What exactly did you have in mind?
McCOY: Well, a moment alone, please. ...Do you realize of course, if we give him the formula, we're altering the future.
SCOTT: Why? How do we know he didn't invent the thing!
 
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  • #38
Borg said:
Imager is correct. It is avarice.

you may well be correct I played the clip over and over and still not sure, nut leaning towards avarice
unfortunately that clip OmCheeto posted above with subtitles stops just before those words are utteredDave
 
  • #39
thanks imager :smile:
 
  • #40
Try this one at 3:50

 
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  • #41
OmCheeto said:
ps. When's the last time anyone heard someone use "avarice" in a sentence?
Personally, I think it's quite a common word and although I don't remember the last time I used it I'm sure I have used in several times over the years.
 
  • #42
Borg said:
Try this one at 3:50



That's the same clip I downloaded the other day ... but better audio
and now that I know there is such a word as avarice ... it becomes quite obvious :smile::biggrin:

had been a fun thread and definitely went in directions and had responses I didn't expect
thanks everyone :smile:Dave
 

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