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> You see, if someone were to really study the subject, they'd not only need to understand metallurgy, but also crystallography, 3D math, patterns, etc., etc.,
by yiyus 6y ago
> You see, if someone were to really study the subject, they'd not only need to understand metallurgy, but also crystallography, 3D math, patterns, etc., etc., a variety of interlapping areas and disciplines...
You just described metallurgy. Of course, no material scientist knows everything, even the field as a whole has many knowledge gaps. We are working to fill those gaps, usually with the result of finding more new gaps. And for this we use crystallography, 3D (and 4D) math, chemistry, physics, mechanics, computer science... Metallurgy (old and new, that distinction you make is pure fiction) already is multidisciplinary.
> if someone really was interested in this, they'd experiment with it, that is, "do it for the sake of doing it"
Testing equipment and electron microscopes are not cheap, so at some point you usually need some kind of return. But we constantly do research "for the sake of doing it", specially at universities, but also in some companies. It looks to me like you have many misconceptions about the field and how scientific research works in general.
- peter_d_sherman 6y agoQuestion: How was the first Hydrogen atom in the Universe created from empty space? In fact -- how are any Hydrogen atoms created from empty space? (Because that's quite the trick... if you ask me...) If you have an answer for that question -- then I challenge your knowledge by asking that you prove that knowledge with a lab experiment... Produce for me, in the lab, using whatever equipment you like, one single teensy Hydrogen atom -- out of nothing but empty space... Produce for me a single Hydrogen atom -- in a vaccuum... You see, if someone understood how to do that then that would be a huge understanding for any material scientist because if they could do that, then They would understand how matter is created in the first place... Which is sort of the root level understanding for all material science (if you think about it) for Hydrogen and every heavier element and compound than Hydrogen... for everything material science related... Please tell me that you as a material scientist -- actively seek this knowledge... Why? Because if I were doing material science, I'd be actively seeking that knowledge, as a foundation for everything else... For everything else that would exist subordinate to, and on top of (to use the foundation analogy) it, or below (to use a pyramid/hierarchy analogy) it... Why? Because I don't know how Hydrogen is created in the first place! It seems like that would be the place to begin any and all material science research/experimentation, that is, how the first material in the universe is actually created, wouldn't it? If it could be discovered, then that would be the first principle -- from which all material science would proceed from, from which all other principles in material science were derived, wouldn't it? Me, well I claim Socratic Ignorance in the matter... I don't know -- but then again, no one pays me to, so I guess that's OK! <g> On a serious note though, it would be really good information to have, do you not agree?
- yiyus 6y agoNo, I do not agree.
- peter_d_sherman 6y agoFair enough, but we're still left with the gaping problem of "how did all of this material -- get here in the first place?"...