Whoa. There’s something extreme about science. Of course, saying that anything is “extreme” these days isn’t very extreme. However, what does it really take to be an extreme scientific wonder? Well, it has to be something that’s going to be all about moving science forward, or being the “hottest”, or the most radioactive, or even the hardest substance on earth. We’re extremely excited to talk about all things science-y and well…extreme.
Now, we know that this isn’t one of our usual crazy and funny posts, but work with us here. Deep down, we’re just nerds on the inside, okay? Okay? It means that sometimes we really just need to let that nerdy side out and connect on a different level. Hey, we’re in good company — the nerds in the crowd are waiting for us to spill the beans on the science joy, and we’re ready to give it to them. So if you’re feeling a bit put out, just think of it as nerd’s revenge. 🙂
Onward to the science stuff!
1. Diamonds Go Hard…Real Hard…
Is our inner scientist conflicting with our inner nerd? No, we’re just talking about diamonds. As you might have remembered from science class, diamonds are considered one of the hardest substances on earth. It’s ranked 9 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, but it’s not truly the hardest substance known to man.
What is the hardest substance is called an aggregated diamond nanorod. As you might tell from the name, this is actually a group of nano-scale diamonds, which are tightly packed together. This is something that is developed in the lab, not in nature which means that the diamond still is the hardest substance that is known in nature.
The scientific gains that come from diamond nanorods are plenty — for starters, companies will use them as super-strong versions of the industrial diamonds that are already in use. Some jewelers use diamond cutters to shape weaker metals like silver and copper to give it more of a customized look. Of course, who discovered this nifty little thing? The Germans, of course!
2. The Super Magnet!
This is a fairly new scientific wonder that was just discovered but it’s already got scientists excited. And if you haven’t seen a bunch of nerds get excited, you just need to go to a Star Trek convention. Yes, Star Trek will never die. Deal with it.
Back to the science. This is a small magnet that is actually constructed from iron and nitrogen. On their own, you wouldn’t think much of the magnetic properties. However, when you combine them together you actually have a product that’s pretty deadly. If there’s anything that we’ve learned so far, we’ve learned that magnets have plenty of uses. For example, junkyards use magnets to move cars from place to place. However, if you don’t have a magnet that can handle that type of load, you won’t be able to pick up the car. Yet there’s also a darker outcome: the car could fall off the magnet and crash onto other cars and possibly even threaten people if the junkyard is open to the public. This type of strong magnet pictured here could be developed someday into a magnet system that would prevent this “slippage” from happening.
3. Helium 2 — Superfluidity FTW!
Everyone likes superfluidity …well, everyone in this case referring to the science junkies. If you haven’t caught on why superfluidity is so interesting, let us explain real quick: this is a state of matter that occurs at really low temps, has the same temperature through the entire surface, and no viscosity — it’s truly “liquid”, in other words. There’s one substance that fits this bill to a “T”, and that’s Helium 2.
Helium 2? Yes, that’s right — there’s a second He in the building, and it’s actually a liquid instead of a gas. The weird thing about He2 is that it’ll just up and “leave” a container — spontaneously without any human interaction. It’ll also go through items that we think of as solid — it has no friction whatsoever.
So if you’re paranoid, don’t worry — Helium 2 really is out to get you. Be afraid.
4. Killer Acid?
If you ever had nightmares of being dissolved by acid as a kid, you were definitely not alone. Everyone wanted to avoid being dissolved away, but most people explained to you that it just wouldn’t come down to this. Were they right? Well, to a point. However, never say never — and we’re not talking about Justin Bieber.
Enter fluoroantimonic acid, an acid so strong that it eats away anything that it touches. The vapors released from this acid can literally kill everyone in a room simply through being inhaled. It’s much, much, much more powerful than sulphuric acid — in fact, it makes sulphuric acid look like simple vinegar or lemon juice. It’s even highly reactive to water.
Remember those cute YouTube videos about what happens when potassium mates with water? Yeah, that type of explosion….times about hundred million. We thought you would be impressed. And rather afraid.
5. Let’s Get Radioactive!
If there’s one fear that we all seem to have, it’s getting hit by radiation. The recent scare in Japan is proof positive that the world really isn’t ready for nuclear power.
Speaking of nuclear power, did you know that the most radioactive substance around is polonium-210. It’s so craaaazily radioactive that it glows blue — like it’s warning the world. “Hey, I’m Polonium-210, and you betta not step to me.”
We won’t, Polonium-210. We wouldn’t dream of crossing you.
Overall, these are all amazing scientific wonders, and there are plenty of uses for them. In the case of our last little radioactive friend, it’s clear that we don’t want to just let it fall into the wrong hands. Is there a neat scientific discovery that you would like to share? Sound off in the comments, we would love to hear from you!