Slashdot Mirror
New Blu-ray Disc to be Made of Corn
aws910 writes "I've often thrown away a CD and wondered how long it will take to biodegrade. Pioneer has developed a blu-ray disc that is made of corn. If this disc is widely used, it may be the only easily biodegradable computer part/accessory (with the exception of pizza). Now I wonder what would happen to one of those new discs if you put one in the microwave for 5 seconds." While the idea of a corn disc isn't new, it's the first Blu-ray version of it.
And best of all, it stays crunchy in milk!
Fritz Pisot!
Mom says my
Eco-friendly disc is nice, but how many people are going to throw away Blu-ray disc?
25GB is serios amount of data, I (maybe just me) would try to keep it even if it contains very unimportant data, since it's so easy to store a disc, it's not like you need one 5x5 room to store it.
--
Play iCLOD Virtual City Explorer and win Half-Life 2
Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
Now I wonder what would happen to one of those new discs if you put one in the microwave for 5 seconds.
Would that be a popcorn disc?
So what happens when the computer gets hot?
Marxist evolution is just N generations away!
Let the corny jokes commence.
Oh wait...
Is the middle of the disc called the "corn hole"?
Slashdot: come for the pedantry, stay for the condescension.
I'm glad you included pizza; They don't call rackmount servers "pizza box" servers for nothing ;) ... fit a mini-atx nicely :D
Made with corn... ...but filled with porn!
The cost? Your first born.
Thank you. I'm here all week.
We have been gentically engineering corn for a variety of purposes for a while now. I wonder if this will spur a "Blu-ray" variant of corn. It should be interesting to consider what properties of the corn would make the best discs (longest lasting, scratch-resistant, etc.)
how long does the corn last anyway?
every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
Does this mean that /.-ers will start storing their pr0n on their cr0n?
If you get your finger stuck in the spindle hole, does that constitute being cornholed?
My CD-Rs are slowly falling apart due to age. After about 4 or 5 years, they're about as good as dirt. Ive been slowly converting everything to DVD but I fear the same thing will happen to them. I remember reading on slashdot that disks have a limitted shelf life due to corrosion and the breakdown of laminates. Now, these disks are designed to breakdown. What good is this to anyone who wants to keep data beyond half a decade?
"Hey man! You said these disc were made of corn, right?"
*crack*
*scream*
Let me know when they make a 64-bit processor out of polenta.
Man,
That's gonna be thousands of tons of corn diverted away from making nachos.
Make those discs out of egg plant instead. Nobody will miss them.
Mmmm... Nachos.
The Internet is full. Go Away!!!
This will be great for recycling discs to feedstocks, since most of Hollywood's output is swill fit for pigs anyway. (Sorry if I offended any pigs. I am such an insensitive bastard.)
It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
Now I wonder what would happen to one of those new discs if you put one in the microwave for 5 seconds.
He writes that knowing full well what happens to current discs when you put them in the microwave.
That is.... Awesome lightshow caused by arcs between the thousands/millions of pits and hills on the disc's surface.
I highly recommend it, but suggest:
a) Not using your own microwave
b) Not using a disc you like to watch...
In case you can't resist,
c) Not putting it back into your own DVD player afterward.
Indy Media Watch-Proctologist of the Internet
24 comments already and no bad jokes using the word "kernel". I'm proud of you all.
Is this corn stuff sturdy enough to endure intense office frisbee action?
I think this is a potentially a very cool thing, but you have to admit it's immensley funny if you think about it.
Five Pioneer R&D guys sitting at a table, thinking what they are going to do with Blu-Ray. One of them looks down at his bag of nacho's... look's up at the picture of the DVD, then back at the Nacho's.
The rest is history.
--
The last digit of pi is four.
So I didn't RTFA, but why divert corn from the food supply? I'm sure it's not exactly in short supply but with so many starving people in the world wouldn't it be better off actually feeding people?
;)
Or will the occasional coaster now be edible?
Who doesn't like free music?
Let the corny jokes commence.
Atkins dieters are eagerly awaiting the Blu-ray disc composed of pork rind.
It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
Now I wonder what would happen to one of those new discs if you put one in the microwave for 5 seconds.
You get...pop music!
Seedy Rom.....
I don't think they are going to do anything that displeases their masters in the red states. We are going to have ugly, bad for the economy corn subsidies for a long time.
So what happens when the computer gets hot?
It smells like corn tortillas, of course.
What I want to know is, can you make nachos from the discs that end up as the inevitable coasters?
Mmmmm, blu-ray disc nachos...
R(k)
I'm waiting for the day when AOL starts sending me free breakfast in mail, everday! :)
My other dog is a Wienerschnitzel.
This would be great for corporate espionage. If you are caught by security, you can hastily wolf it down. No more evidence!!
"It was a rice cake, I swear!"
Unknown host pong.
"Let the corny jokes commence."
Why didn't CmdrTaco bring us this story?
Somebody ought to force AOL to use this technology. Then, far from having to act their way to a free seedy ROM, there would be a plentiful supply for the bums to eat and, as a side-effect, AOL would actualy be doing something useful for once.
Resistance is futile. Reactance buggers it up.
Don't CDs have to be shiny and reflective? What is shown in the picture sure looks dull and matte. Has blu-ray eliminated the need for the reflective backing? -- Marcio
sometimes it is not.
the idea is that it wont fill landfills like non-sold et carts.
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
I can't see these things replacing cobs in the outhouse.
"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
Don't fret I think we've been storing data on biodegradable media which can last for thousands of years if stored right.... it's called paper.
Ingredients:
* AOL
* corn disks
* Computer cookery 5000 with Intel Pentium Prescott (TM) as the heat source.
What do you get?
FREE POPCORN!
After all, it would make AOL's idiotic discs very welcome in third-world countries.
(from http://www.wisagclassroom.org/Corn%20Plastic.pdf )
:
Materials Needed
cornstarch
measuring spoons
corn oil
water
medicine dropper
food coloring
microwave
sandwich-size resealable plastic bag
Procedure:
1. Place a tablespoon of cornstarch in a resealable plastic bag.
2. Add two drops of corn oil to the corn starch.
3. Add one and a half tablespoons of water to the oil and cornstarch.
4. Stir the mixture.
5.Add two drops of food coloring to the mixture and stir well.
6.Next, microwave your biodegradable plastic for 20-25 seconds on high.
(and obviously, use caution)
Under capitalism man exploits man. Under communism it's the other way around.
I wonder if they're going to get into trademark trouble with the other Pioneer
A common plastic made from corn is polylactic acid (just google it). It's strong, clear, and easy to work with. More expensive than its comptetitors. But yes, it is biodegradable. Just toss it in the compost heap. It's also the same plastic used to make absorbable medical implants (sutures, screws, etc). That's right, if put a chunk under your skin (not that I recommend it), your body slowly absorbs it.
The world is made by those who show up for the job.
I mean, say you're a some geek bachelor--but alas, I repeat myself.
Mark Twain. He's back. And this time he's out for revenge. Revenge.... on every third rate mangling of his humorous quotes. Once he's spotted you.... there's no escape.
(Clip.. voice of Mark Twain); "Viewer, suppose you were a mangler of the work of Mark Twain. And suppose you were someone who was going to die by having their bowels ripped out through their throat. But I repeat myself."
Twain; The Revenge. At cinemas on Friday, rated 18.
(At this point, the author of this post is killed by the ghost of the real Mark Twain, pissed off that his quote got mangled again).
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
From the article:
" While the disc can theoretically be eaten, it is coated by a 0.1-millimeter (0.004-inch) thick layer of resin and is too hard for even the strongest teeth."
like g-a-r-y, only different
What, have you no faith in post-apocalyptic pr0n?
You mean, like mutants with three breasts or two penises?
Or both, on the same person...
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).