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Physicists Say Graphene Could Create Mass

eldavojohn writes "Graphene has gotten a lot of press lately. The Nobel prize-winning, fastest-spinning, nanobubble-enhanced silicon replacement is theorized to have a new, more outlandish property. As reported by Technology Review's Physics Blog, graphene should be able to create mass inside properly formed nanotubes. According to Abdulaziz Alhaidari's calculations, if one were to roll up graphene into a nanotube, this could compactifiy dimensions (from the sheet's two down to the tube's one), and thus 'the massless equations that describe the behavior of electrons and holes will change to include a term for mass. In effect, compactifying dimensions creates mass.' What once would require a massive high-energy particle accelerator can now be tested with carbon, electricity, and wires, according to the recent paper."

17 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. A new particle by somersault · · Score: 5, Funny

    Scientists have now isolated the particle that causes this strange mass inducing effect, and have dubbed it the "YoMamma".

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    which is totally what she said
    1. Re:A new particle by sempir · · Score: 3, Funny

      Surely you intended to say they "ísolatefied" then "compactified"it prior to it being "testified".

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      A closed mouth gathers no foot.
    2. Re:A new particle by ArsonSmith · · Score: 3, Funny

      You just Bushified the conversationalism.

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      Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
  2. We call it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    the Mass Effect.

  3. LOL, goodbye LHC! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Nice to see one man's calculations relegate mankind's most advanced and complicated machine to obsolescence.

  4. Re:Can anybody summarize TFA? by bsDaemon · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think they're just claiming the mass they expect to make next year, assuming they'll balance their mass sheets at that point?

  5. Re:Obviously a weapon of graphene distruction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    except... all but one of them work in/for Saudi Arabia?!

  6. Re:Compactify? Yes, it's a real word. Sigh. by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 2, Funny

    Thank God. I thought for sure that George W. Bush had become a /. editor. The extra "i" does leave open the possibility that Dan Quayle is working as a copy editor.

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    Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
  7. Re:Analogy is not identity! by Kemanorel · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sheldon?

    Dr. Sheldon Cooper?

    Is that you?

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    Mess not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.
  8. Re:Abdulaziz Alhaidari by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    He's not a Muslim, you dumbass. Anyone can extrapolate from his name that he's clearly Japanese.

  9. Re:Not 1-dimensional by Yvan256 · · Score: 3, Funny

    And if you squeeze the nanotube very, very hard, it disappears!

  10. Re:Can anybody summarize TFA? by hedwards · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thought that was "Hold my beer and watch my try this... "

  11. Re:It's called our circle of science! by idontgno · · Score: 5, Funny

    If there's a physicist out there, I get the impression that somehow leptons are being converted to fermions?

    When life hands you leptons, make leptonaide.

    Indeed, I'm not a physicist. How'd you guess?

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    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
  12. Re:Can anybody summarize TFA? by Low+Ranked+Craig · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes, they're actually losing a little mass on each transaction, but they're buying "observations". They'll make is up on volume!

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    I still cannot find the droids I am looking for...
  13. Re:It's called our circle of science! by mcgrew · · Score: 3, Funny

    Indeed, I'm not a physicist. How'd you guess?

    Um, your user name?

  14. Re:Can anybody summarize TFA? by mcgrew · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, more like a Catholic priest. They create mass from hot air, holy water, some wine and a cracker, don't they?

    Physics can't do that!

  15. Re:This phenomenon closely related to: by Gilmoure · · Score: 3, Funny

    Time to start stapling bacon to cats.

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    I drank what? -- Socrates