3 ms·

> Maybe one of these days... The grapheme flying car will happen....one day... https://phys.org/news/2019-12-graphene-composites-planes-cars.html https://phys

by Zenst 5y ago

> Maybe one of these days... The grapheme flying car will happen....one day... https://phys.org/news/2019-12-graphene-composites-planes-cars.html https://phys.org/news/2019-12-graphene-composites-planes-car...

failwhaleshark 5y ago
Oh lol, I didn't see this when contrasting graphene fabrication with the Moller Skycar. Flying cars, a trope from the 60's, are already here in small numbers. The issue is it's unworkable: 1. Who wants random non-pilots flying over their homes when most people can't even drive on the ground? 2. Where are the runways / liftoff points going to be? 3. How loud will they be? 4. The energy required (and cost) is far higher than for ground transportation. Does this make any sense in the face of climate change?
- andrekandre 5y ago
  all good points i always imagined if flying cars were a common thing we would need iron umbrellas to be safe from all the metal rain of falling parts from all the mid-air collisions every day...
CRConrad 5y ago
The first article linked under "Related Stories" at the bottom of that article again illustrates the hype about graphene. From https://phys.org/news/2016-11-graphene-coated-motorcycle-helmet.html https://phys.org/news/2016-11-graphene-coated-motorcycle-hel... : > By coating graphene onto the exterior shell of the helmet, the result is a helmet with improved thermal comfort and safety. The graphene coating allows better distribution of impact force, making the helmet less susceptible to damage compared to helmets without graphene, even in high temperature conditions. It is the excellent thermal conducive properties of the graphene coating which dissipates heat quickly across the helmet and not only protects the inner materials from degradation caused by heat, but also provides a more comfortable user experience. [(De-)emphases added -- CRC] So which is it: Can a mere coating somehow affect "distribution of impact force" -- which one would think is done by the actual structure of a helmet, not a surface coating? Or does it actually do this just indirectly, by "protect[ing] the inner materials from degradation caused by heat"? It feels very much like what actually provides the safety in this helmet is still good old glass or carbon fiber, and the graphene is more or less incidental. Just like the headline of TFA here should probably have been something like "Graphene lubricant helps HMR achieve 10 x data density".

by Zenst 5y ago

failwhaleshark 5y ago

Oh lol, I didn't see this when contrasting graphene fabrication with the Moller Skycar. Flying cars, a trope from the 60's, are already here in small numbers. The issue is it's unworkable: 1. Who wants random non-pilots flying over their homes when most people can't even drive on the ground? 2. Where are the runways / liftoff points going to be? 3. How loud will they be? 4. The energy required (and cost) is far higher than for ground transportation. Does this make any sense in the face of climate change?

andrekandre 5y ago
all good points i always imagined if flying cars were a common thing we would need iron umbrellas to be safe from all the metal rain of falling parts from all the mid-air collisions every day...

CRConrad 5y ago

The first article linked under "Related Stories" at the bottom of that article again illustrates the hype about graphene. From https://phys.org/news/2016-11-graphene-coated-motorcycle-helmet.html https://phys.org/news/2016-11-graphene-coated-motorcycle-hel... : > By coating graphene onto the exterior shell of the helmet, the result is a helmet with improved thermal comfort and safety. The graphene coating allows better distribution of impact force, making the helmet less susceptible to damage compared to helmets without graphene, even in high temperature conditions. It is the excellent thermal conducive properties of the graphene coating which dissipates heat quickly across the helmet and not only protects the inner materials from degradation caused by heat, but also provides a more comfortable user experience. [(De-)emphases added -- CRC] So which is it: Can a mere coating somehow affect "distribution of impact force" -- which one would think is done by the actual structure of a helmet, not a surface coating? Or does it actually do this just indirectly, by "protect[ing] the inner materials from degradation caused by heat"? It feels very much like what actually provides the safety in this helmet is still good old glass or carbon fiber, and the graphene is more or less incidental. Just like the headline of TFA here should probably have been something like "Graphene lubricant helps HMR achieve 10 x data density".