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Ancient Swords Made of Carbon Nanotubes

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the built-to-last dept.

brian0918 writes "Nature reports that researchers at Dresden University believe that sabres from Damascus dating back to 900 AD were formed with help from carbon nanotubes. From the article: 'Sabres from Damascus are made from a type of steel called wootz. But the secret of the swords' manufacture was lost in the eighteenth century.' At high temperatures, impurities in the metal 'could have catalyzed the growth of nanotubes from carbon in the burning wood and leaves used to make the wootz, Paufler suggests. These tubes could then have filled with cementite to produce the wires in the patterned blades, he says.'"

15 of 293 comments (clear)

  1. interesting... by RelliK · · Score: 5, Funny

    So swords are a series of tubes too?

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    ___
    If you think big enough, you'll never have to do it.
    1. Re:interesting... by gijoel · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, this means that the internet is far older than we thought.

    2. Re:interesting... by somersault · · Score: 4, Funny

      All yout w00tz are belong to us.. you have no chance to build make your steel.

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      which is totally what she said
  2. wootz? by 0racle · · Score: 4, Funny

    Look, this isn't really a 'mad loot' or 'MASSIVE DAMAGE' moment so please, so try to speak and write proper English.

    --
    "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
    1. Re:Wootz? by Cheapy · · Score: 5, Funny

      "What have you been doing slave?"
      "Pwning ore sire!"

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      Would you kindly mod me +1 insightful?
    2. Re:wootz? by 0racle · · Score: 4, Funny

      Actually it was much worse. I almost used right instead of write.

      Now then on to our next lesson, there is a difference between making a stupid joke and correcting people. For instance, stupid jokes may reference Giant Enemy Crabs while corrections often do not.

      --
      "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
    3. Re:wootz? by SinaSa · · Score: 4, Funny

      Is the rod made of wootz?

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      --
      The last digit of pi is four.
  3. Wootz? by pedantic+bore · · Score: 5, Funny
    I knew about the special properties of Damascus steel -- there have been many theories about the source of its strength and ability to hold an edge.

    But I didn't know it was called "wootz". That's almost too good to be true. Next we'll find out the it's made of pwned ore.

    --
    Am I part of the core demographic for Swedish Fish?
  4. I'm very interested in word origins by Crimsane · · Score: 5, Funny

    This, for instance, tells the story of old Damascan warriors that would run around slaying their enemies, and at each kill would shout a prayer of "W00Tz" to their ancient sword gods to thank them for their glorious victory.

  5. Re:Nanotubes solve global warming, cancer, deficit by WilliamSChips · · Score: 4, Funny

    This just in: carbon nanotubes found in Amiga computers! Also, carbon nanotubes made of vibrating strings!

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    Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
  6. Writes this down... by Kent+Simon · · Score: 4, Funny

    *Makes a mental note of this word for the next scrabble game*

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    Kent Simon Multitheft Auto
  7. Re:*sigh* I have no choice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I, for one, do not welcome our eventual humorless overlords.

  8. aha! by ILuvRamen · · Score: 3, Funny

    I was wondering where the tem 'w00t' came from, lol. Obviously they took that from the Damascans as well as the Carbon swords from the Phantasy Star series on good old Sega Genesis. Must be the basis for a +1 sword in D&D too. So what's Drizzt Du Erden's +5 scimitar based on in reality you ask? Well that's simple, it's a carbon nanotube enhanced, antimatter bladed, quantum slash enhanced, electric current carrying, Ruby on Rails using blade :)

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    Google's Super Secret Search Algorithm: SELECT @search_results FROM internet WHERE @search_results = 'good'
  9. Re:WTF are you talking about? by dangitman · · Score: 3, Funny
    I wonder what that could be? ^_^

    An ancient Damascan sword?

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    ... and then they built the supercollider.
  10. Allow me to offer you by achurch · · Score: 3, Funny

    the comment settings page, where you can assign -6 to Funny comments and never have to have your reading interrupted by them again!