Science!

[Esuohlim]

There is absolutely huge demand for developing reliable metal matrix composites, but I'm pretty sure they're expensive to process WHICH THEY NEGLECT TO MENTION

At least I think that's the whole hang-up with MMCs. It's like magic wizard material but it ain't cheap.

[executioneer]

they should throw some carbon nanotubes in there, that'll make it work better right

[Tadao]

[Colonel Flagg]

It's been awhile, but this article caught my eye.

It's a little misleading - as if Uranium could be made non-radioactive. However, there is a great deal of U238 left over from the enrichment process that is useless for anything other than a curiosity. There are catalytic compounds that use uranium, and of course for science experriments on radioactivity, but this is a real, honest-to-goodness opportunity to radically shrink the physical size - or increase the capacity - of mass storage media. It's not yet ready for commercialization (as if!) but there is potential for some serious speculators in the IT marketplace with some excess capital to make a go at developing the technology.

Know anybody? :D

[Pub Lover]

Wouldn't it be usable in a cloud facility where people don't generally hang out?

Originally Posted by BBC News [Link]

Researchers have set a new record for the rate of data transfer using a single laser: 26 terabits per second.

At those speeds, the entire Library of Congress collections could be sent down an optical fibre in 10 seconds.

The trick is to use what is known as a "fast Fourier transform" to unpick more than 300 separate colours of light in a laser beam, each encoded with its own string of information.

Superlasers firing into a Uranium harddrive? Yes, please.

[Colonel Flagg]

Originally Posted by Pub Lover

Wouldn't it be usable in a cloud facility where people don't generally hang out?

Or in a thumb drive with shielding? I'm still a little unclear on how much reduction in spatial size is possible.

And I FFT's.

[Colonel Flagg]

Originally Posted by Evil Robot II

Is Andrea Rossi's E-CAT device real or a hoax?

Originally Posted by executioneer

sounds an awful lot like a hoax to me what with all this "unknown compound" business

It may look a little fishy, but a Greek energy company is sponsoring a 1 megawatt pilot plant as a prelude to commercialization. And as for the "unknown compound" BS - well if they said what it was, they would jeopardize any patent protection. The investors have been given some information, but they have also signed agreements preventing disclosure.

Personally, I wonder what ConEd or Exxon is thinking right now.

[Supafly345]

Some of you might remember Camacazio who used to post here, but you may not know that he is a fucking sweet physicist. Well he is THE GUY for fastest cold ion transport, so made this artist rendition of the achievement for him to use in his presentation today.

ITS FUNNY BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT SMALL COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE COVERED IN ICE LET ALONE A ROCKET LOLOLOL

[Colonel Flagg]

Originally Posted by Supafly345

Well [Camacazio] recently broke the world record for fastest cold ion transport AGAIN, [...]

The articles I'm finding on ion transport are mostly involved with ITER and/or PPPL - and they're about 2 years old. Newer articles are jealously guarded by their publishers to the tune of between 25 and 40 bucks per.

Can you provide a little more information so I can figure out what the heck he's doing? Maybe for free?

[Colonel Flagg]

Star Trek physics has taken a small step forward.

I especially like the first phrase "Trapping antihydrogen atoms at [CERN] has become so routine ..."

[Supafly345]

He is getting ramped up to publish an article on it soon. Ion transport isn't what he's working on mainly I don't think, it was just a part of it. And I guess you need government clearance to know whats going on at this stage? He drops little hints about shooting lasers off eachother for a quantum computer they are developing, I don't know you'll have to wait until they go public. The place he works at is called NIST if that helps point you in the right direction at finding info.

[Zhukov]

I-Mockery isn't for successful people. So I guess that's why he doesn't post anymore.

[Supafly345]

Also I hope he doesn't read this thread because he'll scold me for my ignorance about things he's probably told me about but I'm getting them wrong right now. Also I don't want to seem like I am bragging on his behalf, I just wanted to show off my shitty graphic I whipped up this morning for him that is going to be witnessed by an entire physics dept as the representation of cold ion transport.

[Supafly345]

Me (11:37:20 AM): Are there any papers on this cold ion transport I can read
Me (11:37:33 AM): or are you writing one about it
camacazio (11:37:36 AM): only theory, and i haven't read one i like
camacazio (11:37:41 AM): mine will be the first experimental paper
camacazio (11:38:02 AM): but your picture shows the general idea
Me (11:38:29 AM): ah, okay, I know you'll show me it if you ever write one
camacazio (11:38:40 AM): yup!
camacazio (11:38:49 AM): well i'll have one by the summer's end

[Colonel Flagg]

Thanks. NIST is a big clue, and your description is another. I think I know what to look for now. I'll let you know.

If they don't "back trace" my inquiries and the men in black come and get me, that is.

[Colonel Flagg]

I'd guess that he's working in the PML division of NIST, which is heavily involved with developing quantum computing using ultracold materials known as Bose-Einstein Condenstates (BEC's). I may also be completely wrong, and if so, I never said any of this.

Does he know Dr. Carl Weiman?

[camacazio]

Originally Posted by Colonel Flagg

I'd guess that he's working in the PML division of NIST, which is heavily involved with developing quantum computing using ultracold materials known as Bose-Einstein Condenstates (BEC's). I may also be completely wrong, and if so, I never said any of this.

Does he know Dr. Carl Weiman?

Not personally, but I'm pretty familar with his work, and I've worked with people who have worked with him. The university campus has a cute little nobel laureate sign with him, Eric Cornell, and John Hall listed. I trap single ions, our "temperature" is excitations of vibrational quanta in the trap.

[Colonel Flagg]

Originally Posted by camacazio

Not personally, but I'm pretty familar with his work, and I've worked with people who have worked with him.

One of my college friends had him for a thesis advisor. Small world.

I trap single ions, our "temperature" is excitations of vibrational quanta in the trap.

I used to investigate vibrational quanta in ultracold molecules and molecular clusters in the gas phase, back when supersonic jets were all in vogue. Atomic spectroscopy was a tool for calibration for us, nothing more. Now the pendulum seems to be swinging back.

I had a look at the website - there's some neat stuff going on at NIST.

[executioneer]

is there any way to make a flying pizza slice out of BECs

[Colonel Flagg]

Originally Posted by executioneer

is there any way to make a flying pizza slice out of BECs

If you could, it wouldn't be very hot.

[camacazio]

Originally Posted by executioneer

is there any way to make a flying pizza slice out of BECs

I'M WORKING ON IT

[Supafly345]

Ugh, you guys are going to force me to link him to this page goddamnit.

[executioneer]

KAMIKAZE A YOU

[executioneer]

this technology will revolutionize pizza as we know it :o

[camacazio]

yeah that way when you want a pizza you'll get it fast, and it will be cold