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> laser-induced plasma displays that ionize air molecules to create glowing points of light. The New Scientist used to have a column inside the back page calle
by denton-scratch 2y ago
> laser-induced plasma displays that ionize air molecules to create glowing points of light.
The New Scientist used to have a column inside the back page called Daedalus. It usually described some kind of weird or wonderful "invention" that probably wasn't practical. One of them was for street lighting: you'd have pairs of ultraviolet lasers on either side of the street, intersecting in mid-air. The pairs of lasers would have frequencies that were not exactly the same, so that at the point of intersection lower-frequency "beats" would occur. If the frequency of the beats were adjusted to match the excitation energy of (e.g.) O2, the oxygen would emit light.
Another Daedalus "invention" I remember was to use plant tropins to control the growth of wood. You could then grow e.g. an armchair, or a table, or even a house. No glue needed, no saw needed.
I don't know who used to write that column.
- elric 2y agoControling the growth of wood in that manner is a pretty common fantasy trope, usually of the Elven variety. Or treesinging in Wheel of Time, for example. It's one of those that occasionally pops into my head. Would be pretty neat from a CO2-sequestration point of view, but unless the wood is stressed appropriately during growth, the resulting furniture (or housing) would likely crumble pretty easily.
- cess11 2y agoBending young trees and keeping them in place mechanically to make them grow into interesting or useful shapes is quite viable, probably not to make an armchair but possibly pieces for constructing one, or something simple, like a one-piece walking stick.
- eulgro 2y agoHere's a company that make such chairs: https://fullgrown.co.uk/ https://fullgrown.co.uk/
- cess11 2y agoInteresting, thanks.
- denton-scratch 2y ago> something simple, like a one-piece walking stick Something like this? Except that it's not had its growth manipulated, either by tropins or mechanical means (it was coppiced though). https://www.emilyhannah.co.uk/wooden-walking-sticks/knob-sticks#!/hazel-knob-stick-medium-stout https://www.emilyhannah.co.uk/wooden-walking-sticks/knob-sti...
- cess11 2y agoLooks nice, but no, I was thinking more like bent into a handle.
- berniedurfee 2y agoI was thinking the other day if lab grown wood would be viable, like lab grown meat. Maybe genetically engineered trees that all grow in nominal dimensions like Minecraft trees.