Spiral Crystals

[ysabetwordsmith]

Researchers add a 'twist' to classical material design

They've discovered that crystals can twist when they are sandwiched between two substrates -- a critical step toward exploring new material properties for electronics and other applications.

Crystals are powerful. Spirals are powerful. This ought to be interesting.

Comments

Re: Yes ...

[acelightning73]

I know too many people who are anti-technomages (they make machinery NOT work). My son got my technomagery backwards - he can't keep an electronic wristwatch for more than a few months. He bought an analog wind-up watch, which hasn't crashed yet. And studying how magic and psi interact with spirally-dancing crystals would help us understand how best to use both together (something I've been trying to figure out all my life)

Re: Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I know too many people who are anti-technomages (they make machinery NOT work). <<

It's a disability that is rapidly becoming more serious as more things become electronic with no other options available, and all the worse when vulnerable signals are sent through air instead of insulated wires. Unlike other disabilities, it doesn't just affect the person who has it, but also the other people around them.

>> My son got my technomagery backwards - he can't keep an electronic wristwatch for more than a few months.<<

I found a nylon strap that goes between the watch and my skin. That helps. A plastic case enclose the watch also helps. Avoid metal ones. They're pretty, but fragile.

Re: Yes ...

[acelightning73]

My wristwatch has a nylon strap. Plastic straps that are molded to the watch case don't work for me - my skin breaks out in tiny blisters that burst and itch, and bleed when I scratch them. (I once had a stainless steel watch band, which pinched occasionally, but it's compatible with my magic. I just have to remove the nylon strap from the watch, and wash the strap vigorously. I did try to get my son to use a similar arrangement. But his father-in-law bought him a high-quality mechanical watch. (Not my circus, not my monkey. When the circus came to town, they kidnapped my monkey and he ran away with them.)