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Non-Wet Water

Posted by michael on from the believe-it-or-not dept.

Symul writes: "ABCNews has posted a story today about water that, when mixed with a powder derived from the spores of cub moss, behaves much as liquids do in a weightless environment, with the properties of a sponge-like solid. The powder "coats" the droplets of water, adhering to its surface and little else, including itself. Suggested applications have been leak-free water transportation, and small scale lubrication."

7 of 30 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Are these real scientists here? by Brazilian+Geek · · Score: 2

    Tell me about it but it ain't the scientists. It's the damn reporter: 2 m/s is around 45 miles per hour and 1 cm is about a 0,4 inch. God, it's a wonder some people manage to be so dumb!



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  2. Are these real scientists here? by Old+Wolf · · Score: 2
    In tests now, the beads can reach rolling speeds of 2 meters per second (or about 4.5 miles per hour) without breaking and a coated water droplet can fall 1 centimeter (about one-fifth inch) without leaking. The water beads also resist merging -- in tests no two water beads have joined when in contact with each other.

    Since when did 1cm = 0.2in ?

  3. Re:Contraceptive? by acacia · · Score: 2

    LOL!!! :-)

    Nice to see that there are people just as sick as me!

    So do these spores reproduce? If you used it in conjunction with a condom, would she end up with a moss infection? What kind of pesticide would you need to combat it? I can see the commercial now:

    "Some days I don't feel as fresh, you know?"
    "When I have those days, I rely on Personal Agent Orange."
    "Thanks, Mom!"

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    ~Religion is O.K., as long as it gets you laid.
  4. Polymer/water mixtures by Animats · · Score: 2

    There was a scheme about 20 years ago for mixing water with long-chain polymers, resulting in a liquid you could pour, but had to cut with scissors. Never heard of any applications, though.

  5. Contraceptive? by sacremon · · Score: 2
    Powder a condom well with the stuff, and the various bodily fluids wouldn't be able to touch, even in the event of breakage. The question then becomes the toxicity of the spores.

    "No ma'am, it's not a yeast infection...

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    If you can't beat them, embrace and extend them.
  6. This sounds scarily like Ice-9 by typical+geek · · Score: 2

    cf Krut Vonnegut

  7. Old News by MichielB · · Score: 3

    I'm sorry, but this is old news. Sciam already posted this a week ago.
    http://www.sciam.com/news/062101/1.html

    Hi everybody by the way. I've been lurking in the science section for quite a while now, and decided to register just now.