Scientists invent a “metallic glass” without crystaline molecular structures, many times stronger than steel.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/mech-tech/mg18624931.000
And, when this process is used on non-ferrous metals, like copper or titanium? :eek:
Have we finally arrived at the ‘aluminium glass’ they promised us in Start Trek?
Nope. By glassy, they mean the chaotic, non-crystalline structure, not transparent.
Ah heck… I guess I’m still waiting to build my own whale-tank for the backyard…
Not that I’m questioning that this stuff will be opaque, but isn’t that why glass is transparent, because it’s chaotic? Or am I misremembering?
IIRC, it has to do with the charge of glass. There’s no free electrons in glass to screw around with photons, so it’s transparent.
It’s not that new…
There was a Discover Magazine article on this subject a year ago that was somewhat more detailed than the one referenced earlier.
Transparent aluminum. And that was my first thought too, sadly.
[nitpick]
The article starts by saying "IN THE movie Terminator 2, the villain is a robot made of liquid metal. He morphs from human form to helicopter and back again with ease, "
Helicopter? Someone was smokin’ something when they saw that movie.
[/nitpick]
Really. The T-1000 (or whatever) didn’t morph into a helicopter, but instead poured itself into the helicopter, took a human form, looked at the pilot and said “Get out”
What’s puzzling me is why they’re calling it metallic glass, rather than glassy metal. The stuff is metal, rather than silica.