Guest Prof. Logan Posted January 14, 2005 Posted January 14, 2005 I have recently been contacted by a gentleman from the UK regarding a long running debate with his peers about Ice and Diamonds : which is the toughest substance? In my work, this has been a subject that has been tried and tested many times with different outcomes. However, I am able to answer the question once and for all. Ice, in its most frozen state, eg. centre of an iceberg, is more tough than a standard diamond due to the state of "frozen atoms". In this situation, ice would be the hardest substance known to man. On a lighter note, I was also asked to give my opinion regarding the supernatural, or to be more specific, "ghosts". Having read many accounts of the paranormal, I'm afraid the answer is unclear although the recent electronic voice recordings (commonly know as E.V.P.) suggest that it is more likely than ever that ghosts do exist. It is a bad thing to have a closed mind these days! Has anyone else ever had such entertaining emails?
Sayonara Posted January 14, 2005 Posted January 14, 2005 Not of that nature, no. When did Derwentside get moved to Pittsburgh?
swansont Posted January 14, 2005 Posted January 14, 2005 On a lighter note' date=' I was also asked to give my opinion regarding the supernatural, or to be more specific, "ghosts". Having read many accounts of the paranormal, I'm afraid the answer is unclear although the recent electronic voice recordings (commonly know as E.V.P.) suggest that it is more likely than ever that ghosts do exist. It is a bad thing to have a closed mind these days! [/quote'] From the little I've read on EVP it sounds like the adage about the sculptor chipping away everything that doesn't look like the subject. If you take noise, filter it, and keep anything that sounds like speech, you will end up with something that sounds like speech.
Guest Prof. Logan Posted January 15, 2005 Posted January 15, 2005 From the little I've read on EVP it sounds like the adage about the sculptor chipping away everything that doesn't look like the subject. If you take noise, filter it, and keep anything that sounds like speech, you will end up with something that sounds like speech. Agreed. Although some of the results, coupled with EMF readings, are remarkable. And direct response is also interesting, esp. in the case of Dover Castle, belived by many to have a elemental haunting, where the only verified video evidence in history was was caught. Recent EVP recordings at Berry Pomeroy castle have aslo been very interesting but, as you say, when you filter something enough...
YT2095 Posted January 15, 2005 Posted January 15, 2005 isn`t it possible that the equipment is picking up stray Radio signals (like "Skip"). I can get strange voises and music from my guitar amp when it`s not earthed properly and the lead is in a certain place. just a thought
Guest A lush pain Posted January 17, 2005 Posted January 17, 2005 I have recently been contacted by a gentleman from the UK regarding a long running debate with his peers about Ice and Diamonds : which is the toughest substance? In my work' date=' this has been a subject that has been tried and tested many times with different outcomes. However, I am able to answer the question once and for all. Ice, in its most frozen state, eg. centre of an iceberg, is more tough than a standard diamond due to the state of "frozen atoms". In this situation, ice would be the hardest substance known to man.On a lighter note, I was also asked to give my opinion regarding the supernatural, or to be more specific, "ghosts". Having read many accounts of the paranormal, I'm afraid the answer is unclear although the recent electronic voice recordings (commonly know as E.V.P.) suggest that it is more likely than ever that ghosts do exist. It is a bad thing to have a closed mind these days! Has anyone else ever had such entertaining emails?[/quote'] I am perplexed that this is even a dilemma. Diamond is the hardest substance known to man. "Frozen atoms?" , what exactly are they? Professors Andrew Bell , and Vincent Clarke , produced the most authoritative research duing the mid 1980's , on this matter using computer simulation to demonstrate that a large diamond structure would be able to capsize 17 vessels of equivalent size to the Titanic.
Sayonara Posted January 17, 2005 Posted January 17, 2005 Professors Andrew Bell , and Vincent Clarke Erasure are not materials scientists. Must try harder.
AzurePhoenix Posted February 9, 2005 Posted February 9, 2005 as far as i know, the closest we can get to "freezing" atoms is bringing them to within a millionth of a degree of absolute zero, at which point the atomic vibrations would slow, slow, slow and then cease, then hell knows what would happen. problem is, absolute zero is impossible to reach by humans in this century. I'd like to see this miraculously cold iceberg of his.
jdurg Posted February 10, 2005 Posted February 10, 2005 I too have a LOT of trouble in believing that ice can be harder than a diamond no matter how cold it is. Ice is a VERY brittle substance which is easily ripped apart by any kind of force. Diamond, meanwhile, is not very brittle at all and can withstand a good amount of shock before its crystal lattice breaks and the diamond crumbles. Also, in ice the bonds between the water molecules are not actual bonds. They are intermolecular bonds where the electrons are not shared amongst the constituents. They form the crystal structure simply because the individual molecules do not have enough energy to overcome the attractions between the molecules. In a diamond, each of the carbon atoms has an actual bond to three other carbon atoms in a three-dimensional array. As a result, the crystal structure is incredibly strong and a diamond is incredibly hard.
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