Transparent Aluminum is Here

Slashdot ^ | 8/23/2004 | Hemos

[spunkets]

The title is goofy. Aluminum is a metal. Aluminum oxide is already transparent and exists in crystaline and amorphous states. There is also no alloy here, the compound Al₂O₃ has simply been mixed with other compounds to effect structure. The goal is toughness. That's all.

[TheBigB]

Luckily my brain has plenty of room for trivial items. :^)

Did you know John Ratzenberger (Of "Cheers") appeared in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Perhaps it was here before but nobody was able to see it.

[asgardshill]

I always wondered how Scotty produced all those cool animated graphics so quickly on an ancient (to him) Macintosh. I also wondered if I could navigate an ancient Timex Sinclair or Altair (old operating systems) so quickly and efficiently. Scotty was truly a "miracle worker".

[JenB]

Kirk wasn't there, it was Bones.

[MeanWestTexan]

I think you are correct.

[DanTheAdmin]

No Cliffy - tell us all about it.

[avg_freeper]

This stuff has been around for quite a while. You will often see it used in halogen light bulbs.

[hoot2]

"Scotty would be pleased."

he's not the only one...

[TheBigB]

Full Cast and Crew for Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Cast (in credits order) verified as complete
Mark Hamill .... Luke Skywalker/Echo Base Announcer
Harrison Ford .... Han Solo
Carrie Fisher .... Princess Leia Organa
Billy Dee Williams .... Lando Calrissian
Anthony Daniels .... C-3PO
David Prowse .... Darth Vader
Peter Mayhew .... Chewbacca
Kenny Baker .... R2-D2
Frank Oz .... Yoda (voice)
Alec Guinness .... Obi-Wan Kenobi
Jeremy Bulloch .... Boba Fett
John Hollis .... Lando's Aide (Lobot)
Jack Purvis .... Chief Ugnaught
Des Webb .... Wampa (Snow Creature)
Kathryn Mullen .... Performing Assistant for Yoda
Clive Revill .... The Emperor (voice)
Kenneth Colley .... Captain/Admiral Piett
Julian Glover .... General Veers
Michael Sheard .... Admiral Ozzel
Michael Culver .... Captain Needa
John Dicks .... Captain Lennox
Milton Johns .... Imperial Officer
Mark Jones .... Imperial Officer (Cmdr. Nemet)
Oliver Maguire .... Imperial Officer
Robin Scobey .... Imperial Officer
Bruce Boa .... General Carlist Rieekan
Christopher Malcolm .... Zev Senesca (Rogue Two)
Denis Lawson .... Wedge Antilles (Rogue Three)
Richard Oldfield .... Derek 'Hobbie' Klivian (Rogue Four)
John Morton .... Dak Ralter
Ian Liston .... Wes Janson
John Ratzenberger .... Major Bren Derlin

[Blood of Tyrants]

I agree. I would leave this mudball full of idiots in a heartbeat. The U.S. became the the scientific powerhouse because other countries made life too difficult for people and the smart ones left. If there was a planet available for settling by humans, the same thing would happen.

[ArGee]

First flip phones, now aluminium, soon warp drive, I hope.

I showed my kids "The Trouble With Tribbles" the other day. When Kirk pulled out his communicator they laughted. I asked them what was funny and they said, "Look how BIG it is."

Hopefully Warp Drive will also be that much better than what ST predicted. Shalom.

[jmstein7]

Hello, computer?

Just use the keyboard.

Keyboard? How quaint!

[DouglasKC]

Did you know John Ratzenberger (Of "Cheers") appeared in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK?

Yah, he was the guy who said "A little known fact about the Ewoks is that they actually have 7 kidneys..."

[reagan_fanatic]

"Now, is it worth somethin' to ya laddie, or should I just punch up clear?"

[Izzy Dunne]

here do journalists get their science training, public school?

The Cinema-12 on Oak Street.

[expatpat]

No transparent aluminum.

Aluminum is a metal, alumina is an oxide (compound) of aluminum, and quite a different beast -- just as hydrogen is very different from water (hydrogen oxide).

[Homo_homini_lupus]

Ping!

[sionnsar]

The link doesn't work for me.

Hm. Which one? It could be the dreaded Slashdot effect -- an overloaded server.

[TheBigB]

Also, the word "ewok" is never uttered in the JEDI film.

See here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086190/trivia