Ralph J. Coppola --- r_j_coppola<at>hotmail.com

SAS Disclaimer

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Feature

During the week of 30 Dec., I caught part of a Discovery Channel program about glass. They said that glass, being a “super cooled liquid”, would flow over time, and that a pane of old window glass will become thicker at the bottom than it is at the top.

Please! Please! Please! Can we put an end to this urban myth once and for all?

See:

Analysis shatters cathedral glass myth

Glass: Liquid or Solid -- Science vs. an Urban Legend

Here is, I hope, the final word on the topic from Robert H. Brill, Research Scientist, Corning Museum of Glass --- You know, the “Glass People” ---- Does Glass Flow? No, It Doesn't Flow!

Wanderings

Have you ever wanted to get into robotics but could not justify the expense or perhaps you thought that you lacked the mechanical dexterity to construct a robot platform?

If so, maybe you could talk yourself into buying a robot vacuum cleaner ;-)  Have a look at the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner that's produced by the iRobot Corp.

The nice thing about the Roomba is that its designers included a USB port that allows you to interface your computer to the unit's electronics enabling you to “hack” the software.

Get a copy of Hacking Roomba BEFORE you purchase your vacuum so that you get the model that the book covers.

Also, check out the Roomba Review web site.

The Sciencemadness Library currently holds 40,222 pages of reading and reference material in 85 volumes.

The Physicist's Fire is a fireplace insert that greatly improves the efficiency of your log fire. It can be purchased or constructed, from rebar, by a local welding shop.

Here is a nice collection of simple DIY steam engines.

CSI gone bad!

Instruments for Natural Philosophy --- is an online collection of early physics apparatus

Livingunderworld.org is an ongoing web project dedicated to the preservation of wild and captive amphibians.

The NIST Reference on Constants, Units, and Uncertainty

Engineering Notation

Solar Cycle 24 began on 04 January 2008.

Architect Jean-Pierre Houdin and Dassault Systèmes demonstrate a revolutionary theory covering the construction of Khufu's Great Pyramid.

FreePatentsOnline will give you free access to patent searches.

Faulty Towers --- Communications towers may be contributing to the deaths of millions of migratory birds a year.

During the winter of 2006/2007, more than a quarter of the US's 2.4 million bee colonies were lost to Colony Collapse Disorder.

Forrest “scooped me” with his piece about the Time Hackers in the 04 Jan issue of TCS. But, I decided, what the heck, I'll post the URL's anyway.

Time and Frequency Measurement

Project GREAT: General Relativity Einstein/Essen Anniversary Test --- A tale of Clocks, Kids, and General Relativity on Mt Rainier.

The Kids Room

Science Fair Projects

Teachers ---- Dr. Chris Dr. Schrempp's "Bangs, Flashes, and Explosions" is an electronic book of over 170 dynamic and unusual chemistry and science demonstrations. Also see the Exploscience site.

Making a simple harmonograph.

How to make Home-Made Harmonographs and other interesting devices.

Chem1 - a Virtual Textbook ---- A reference text for General Chemistry.

KidSpace is an exciting online adventure brought to you by the Canadian Space Agency.

Suppliers

Being listed here does not constitute an endorsement by SAS or me of any information, product or service.

SPOT: The World's First Satellite Messenger is a “must have” for anyone who may be contemplating travels to remote areas.

The R. W. MACHINE Company sells a nice selection of model steam engine kits.

On The Lighter Side

Tom Lehrer's New Math Lyrics

From The Far Side

The Souls of Distortion site brings both ancient and novel knowledge to the public audience.

Here are some links to Cold Fusion and Free Energy sites.