Invisible nanotubes could support human weight
[Via NewScientistTech]
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
[Via NewScientistTech]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Daren @ Jul 20th 2008 7:28PM
space elevators
andres @ Jul 20th 2008 7:35PM
space escalators?
Peter @ Jul 20th 2008 7:41PM
Exactly what I was thinking. Maybe now the late Sir Arthur C. Clarke's vision can be realized.
ctbear @ Jul 20th 2008 7:42PM
Space elevators are certainly nice....but imagine the whole new level we can go in Invisible Rope Pranks with this innovation: http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=PG4INDu9kNs
Christian A. Stroemmen @ Jul 20th 2008 7:48PM
Exactly what I thought. This sounds pretty much identical to what they used in Clarke's book.
hiko36 @ Jul 20th 2008 8:17PM
Hahaha there was a guy on one of the late shows the other night talking about this exact same thing...
Davefp @ Jul 20th 2008 8:51PM
Space Elevators! Space Elevators!
marc @ Jul 20th 2008 9:09PM
First thing i thought about, add it to the recent space elevator conference and maybe cheap travel to space will happen some day. Now if only this stuff wasn't toxic
enneract @ Jul 20th 2008 10:30PM
sounds alot more like Charles Sheffield's novel (The Web Between Worlds), which was coincidentally covered a similar subject, and was released at about the same time (both authors reciprocally recognize this as coincidence), which featured a bio-mechanical machine which extruded ultra-thin 'whiskers' which were the primary construction material of the skyhook.
Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 20th 2008 11:06PM
Invisible hangman's noose.
Pengadget @ Jul 21st 2008 1:36AM
how bout all those movies like crouching tiger hidden dragon? they can benefit by this
High Ranks make you sterile @ Jul 21st 2008 8:43AM
Will they be making an American-ized version that can support twice as much weight? And can I get a large fry with that?
BradS @ Jul 21st 2008 9:37AM
Great, now we'll have to stand around for days repeatedly pressing the 'up' button waiting for the elevator to come to our floor....why does the floor indicator say "in orbit"?
Imagine getting stuck on a stalled elevator at 50,000 feet. With someone who's gassy...
nikster @ Jul 21st 2008 8:41PM
What I was thinking, and it's first post - amazing! :)
Space elevators are extremely exciting because they would have the potential to open up space to the rest of us, because we could put large amounts of materials into space and build really big space stations, and that would only the beginning. Next is a moon base etc... a cheap way to get into space and back would be of huge value in all sorts of ways.
J-Rad @ Jul 20th 2008 7:29PM
Man, when it comes to tight ropes they aren't clowning around
YesHone @ Jul 21st 2008 4:52PM
Until you walk face first into the side of the rope. That thin + that strong = one hell of a razor blade...
computer.dude.28 @ Jul 20th 2008 7:31PM
now we know how criss angel did his floating in mid air stunt!
Catdogburger @ Jul 20th 2008 11:25PM
you beat me too it.
andreykireev @ Jul 20th 2008 7:33PM
Yes!! Thank you, Daren !! Space Elevators, here we come!! =) Come on, come on come on!! Build it already!! I can't wait!!
Reader @ Jul 20th 2008 8:15PM
Double the exclamation marks, 4 times the excitement!!
Physical Original @ Jul 20th 2008 7:33PM
My shadowrun team needs some monofilament wire. How soon can we have this ready?
Jeff @ Jul 21st 2008 11:40AM
nerd!
:P
steve @ Jul 20th 2008 7:35PM
I think I would be a little concerned about running into these things accidentally...
andreykireev @ Jul 20th 2008 7:39PM
thats why from now on I will be spreading powdered sugar in front of me as I walk =)
deyanimay @ Jul 20th 2008 7:44PM
Or you know walk around with a flamethrower on and pointed forward, it helps with pesky spider webs too.
Eh @ Jul 21st 2008 3:31AM
the human version of the cheese slicer comes to mind
Owen @ Aug 17th 2008 6:00PM
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1561143,00.html
Wormbolt @ Jul 20th 2008 7:40PM
If they're invisible, how will women buy them in hot pink?
Bryan Thornsberry @ Jul 20th 2008 8:45PM
perfect comment. i love degradation.
nak @ Jul 20th 2008 7:41PM
But I can see it. It's running across the screen left to right about 1/3rd from the bottom.
deyanimay @ Jul 20th 2008 7:46PM
No you can't thats just part of the design on the building in the back. =)
letstakeawalk @ Jul 20th 2008 7:54PM
What are you talking about? The article specifically said "invisible." You must be seeing things.
(giggles)
jeanrivera @ Jul 21st 2008 5:13AM
are you sure about what you said i though it was coming from right to left but that's just me never mind.........................
Zeth Ethereal @ Jul 20th 2008 7:53PM
I can see the rope too ^_^
Jonathan-DBOSS @ Jul 20th 2008 7:53PM
Invisible dental floss.
Andy @ Jul 20th 2008 8:00PM
1cm diameter doesn't sound very thin to me? 2mm spectra has a 500 pound breaking strain. But then 10mg / km is extremely light. It must be virtually invisible
CongoZombie @ Jul 20th 2008 11:19PM
It isn't about being thin, The nano tubes that make it up are smaller than the wavelength of light, so when spaced far enough apart, would make the cable invisible. It seems to be that at this spacing, a bundle 1cm thick would need to be made to support the weight of a human.
Tom G @ Jul 20th 2008 8:01PM
Another amazing scientific breakthrough we will never see bring put to use.
Mile @ Jul 20th 2008 9:37PM
I believe Peter Parker would disagree with you. I mean the comic book Parker.
Ate @ Jul 20th 2008 8:15PM
Let me hear you Scream!
Samboini @ Jul 21st 2008 3:31AM
Aaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggghhhhhhhh?
jack1701 @ Jul 20th 2008 8:21PM
turn this into nano bikinis =)
or bras that can really support
Jaimi @ Jul 20th 2008 9:01PM
"Has a 1 CM diameter".
How is that super-small? That's thicker than most ropes and cables for tightrope walking now. Perhaps they mean "super light".
Clarke-hater @ Jul 20th 2008 9:06PM
>> Exactly what I was thinking. Maybe now the late Sir Arthur C. Clarke's vision can be realized.
Which vision is that - the one where he molests young foriegn boys, or the elevator to space vision?
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3587168.ece
Jeebus @ Jul 21st 2008 12:47PM
The latter.
Personally, I feel that invisible nanotubes will only lead to mass decapitations.
Phil @ Jul 20th 2008 9:11PM
Too bad the nano tubes would slice the person up like an egg slicer
Extra Mild Cheddar @ Jul 20th 2008 9:57PM
I think you are onto something Phil! The Ultimate Invisible Cheese Slicer. I can see Billy Mays or whatever his name is yelling at us from the idiot box that we can get six of 'em for $19.95 plus shipping and handling.
Does anyone else think we should find out if the whole product lifecycle is good for people overall before we introduce new materials by the traincar load? Did no one learn from asbestos or that oil that was in power transformers, or DDT, etc etc etc?
jay.viz @ Jul 21st 2008 1:26AM
Make it just a little thicker and stretch it across a major highway, like I-405 in LA, at one of the widest sections of road.
andrei030 @ Jul 20th 2008 9:12PM
That invisible nanotubes can be very dangerous in wrong hands.
Conor Maher @ Jul 20th 2008 9:18PM
Its all fun and games until the poor tight rope walker gets sliced in half