Honeycomb Carbon Crystals Possibly Detected in Space

Here is a thread that has nothing to do with Ron Paul or religion. I did a search and found no matches. I hope you enjoy this.

Honeycomb Carbon Crystals Possibly Detected in Space

08.15.11 An artist's concept of graphene, buckyballs and C70 superimposed on an image of the Helix planetary nebula. Image credit: IAC/NASA/NOAO/ESA/STScI/NRAO
› Full image and caption NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted the signature of flat carbon flakes, called graphene, in space. If confirmed, this would be the first-ever cosmic detection of the material -- which is arranged like chicken wire in flat sheets that are one atom thick.

Graphene was first synthesized in a lab in 2004, and subsequent research on its unique properties garnered the Nobel Prize in 2010. It's as strong as it is thin, and conducts electricity as well as copper. Some think it's the "material of the future," with applications in computers, screens on electrical devices, solar panels and more.

Graphene in space isn't going to result in any super-fast computers, but researchers are interested in learning more about how it is created. Understanding chemical reactions involving carbon in space may hold clues to how our own carbon-based selves and other life on Earth developed.

Spitzer identified signs of the graphene in two small galaxies outside of our own, called the Magellanic Clouds, specifically in the material shed by dying stars, called planetary nebulae. The infrared-sensing telescope also spotted a related molecule, called C70, in the same region – marking the first detection of this chemical outside our galaxy.

C70 and graphene belong to the fullerene family, which includes molecules called "buckyballs," or C60. These carbon spheres contain 60 carbon atoms arranged like a soccer ball, and were named after their resemblance to the architectural domes of Buckminister Fuller. C70 molecules contain 70 carbon atoms and are longer in shape, more like a rugby ball.

Fullerenes have been found in meteorites carrying extraterrestrial gases, and water has been very recently encapsulated in buckyballs by using new laboratory techniques. These findings suggest fullerenes may have helped transport materials from space to Earth long ago, possibly helping to kick-start life.

www.nasa.gov...

I just thought it was an interesting read and wanted to share..

I didn't know where to put it so I put it in the space exploration forum. sorry

reply to post by liejunkie01


WOW!!
S & F

While in my Physics college class this summer, we watched a video about this shape being spotted over Saturn's north pole......

nice, i wounder what the real world uses for this could be? as stated computer screen, maybe really thin one that does not put out as much heat as other or a flimsy one that can be placed any where and taken with you. maybe make the electric grid better with less resistance in the wires. nice read very interesting to wounder what possibility's there are out there to ponder on.

Originally posted by NISMOALTI
as stated computer screen, maybe really thin one that does not put out as much heat as other or a flimsy one that can be placed any where and taken with you.

Did you know this is possible with glass already? Albeit probably extremely expensive, make a run on google or youtube for a day in life with glass or something like that.