Comments on: Superfluids

By: Chiya

Chiya — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:08:06 +0000

That’s fascinating. OK so I am a nerd. I liked the bit about how it won’t spin with a container until it goes a certain speed then all of a sudden. Sounds like some divide by zero type things, which blows my mind. :) Yet it sorta makes sense.

I wonder if this can be useful in something or other.

By: Jessica Doyle

Jessica Doyle — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 23:47:34 +0000

Thanks =) I learn through visual recognition. Rather than recognizing “words” then undertsanding their meaning I tend to associate meaning with visuals I see in my head. I commented on this post first, only after that becoming interested in the Inner Life of a Cell video you posted earlier.

I had been writing out and drawing out some ideas in my sketchbook, took a break and went online. Came here and lo and behold things made sense to me after reading what you posted and reading the link trail.

Creatively I’m intrigued. I only passed Chemistry in high school because I could draw it out. Thanks for the creative science inspiration Justin and the words (language) associated with those theories.

By: Justin Ruckman

Justin Ruckman — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 22:24:38 +0000

That doesn’t make any sense to me (but then, neither does anything else). Either way I like your style.

By: Jessica Doyle

Jessica Doyle — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 13:45:57 +0000

So a substrate = sponge ? A very efficient substrate at that.

When I first read your description while viewing the illustration above I couldn’t help but think about the movie “Contact” with Jodie Foster dropping into the orb.

What would happen if the vortices were not just linear and there were two of them circling around the orb (superfluid) above? Where would it go? Would the orb be contained and smush into a superfluid? One would have to smush the matter (supersolid) also.

In the movie humans on earth could only record the time. The sole measurment of time they recorded was 18 hours of static while Jodie was away, smushed inside her orb (world). Her reality shifted. Superhuman.

This brings into question entropy Justin like you said; specifically Entropy and Cosmology

So is a superliquid a black hole? Star Trec “Beam me up Scottie.” All we need to do now is learn how to send it somewhere and take form elsewhere. “What the Bleep?”

;)

By: Justin Ruckman

Justin Ruckman — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:25:30 +0000

More here, including a photograph of the material, as if it matters. But it’s the surface etching that traps the light:

(…) the substrates undergo a finely controlled etching procedure to produce the unique morphology which is largely responsible for the very low reflectance of the surface.

By: Lelia Katherine Thomas

Lelia Katherine Thomas — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 08:18:54 +0000

I wonder, though, is it what it’s made out of that makes it so much darker, or is it the tiny craters of the surface? If the latter, it’d be good to apply that style to a lot of things in our every day lives, especially on the road, where reflecting light can be quite a danger, depending on where you live.

By: Lelia Katherine Thomas

Lelia Katherine Thomas — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 08:17:46 +0000

That is fascinating! Seems like it could have a lot of practical applications!

By: Justin Ruckman

Justin Ruckman — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 07:56:06 +0000

And Lelia, speaking of seeing grey, I’d like to get my hands on some of this:

British scientists say they have produced the “blackest ever” surface developed so far. (…)

Several artists are said to be keen to use the new material because it is incredibly beautiful, “like black velvet”.

Dr Richard Brown, who led the NPL team, said the substance was 25 times blacker than conventional black paint.

By: Justin Ruckman

Justin Ruckman — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 07:26:20 +0000

Are you kidding I bathe in that every day. And sleep on it.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:51:40 +0000

Speaking of super fluids…

You ever seen this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2XQ97XHjVw