Monthly Archives: April 2009
Nuclear tests without nukes
An interesting pieces of an article about fusion power that is about to be demonstrated at National ignition facility in the year 2010. For full article go here ……Next year, researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California … Continue reading
Many Ramayanas: The (hi) story of IISc
This is draft blog. I hope to refine it as I go along. I wil also add a narrative of the origins of the Department of Metallurgy and the National Institute of Advanced Studies S Ranganathan Many Ramayanas: In Pursuit … Continue reading
A phase transition called traffic jam
… this is actually a pretty familiar scenario for particle physicists, who are used to studying phase transitions, such as the transformation of liquid water into solid ice. In this case, the critical threshold is temperature, which triggers clusters of … Continue reading
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Indus Script Deciphered
There are many unsolved problems in life. I am not referring to my wife balancing the home budget. Among the more serious ones are the decipherment of the Indus script. Were the symbols in Moghenjadaro a product of an illiterate … Continue reading
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On computers and their use
The metallurgists should stop doing now what the computers can do. The metallurgists should concern themselves with applying the thermodynamic principles to phase equilibria, but they should rely on computers in carrying out the mathematics. This will reduce considerably the … Continue reading
What is in a name?
From the web Couple fights to name baby “ Metallica” Stockholm: Metallica may be a cool name for a heavy metal band, but a Swedish couple is struggling to convince officials it is also suitable for a baby girl. Michael … Continue reading
Sankya Vahini
As I read in this morning’s Hindu that the National Knowledge Network is in place, my heart was filled with joy. I also recalled the vision of V S Arunachalam in advocating this idea long time ago. I attach a … Continue reading
Trilobite eyes
Though this topic may not be directly related to materials engineering, it tells us how nature’s creations are sometimes amazingly shocking. I hit upon this topic while reading ‘The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing’ by Richard Dawkins. In a … Continue reading
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Classics in Materials Science: Harper’s experiments with Snoek pendulum
Introduction Dislocations are one type of defect in a crystalline solid; they distort the crystalline lattice around them; these distortions around a dislocation in a crystal could be dilatational (the distance between planes is more than what it should be) … Continue reading
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Materials Science and Environment
Frankly speaking, most of the experimental metallurgy and materials science reserach does not give a damn about the environment. Ironically even those who work in energy related areas (including me) turn a blind eye to the issues concerning the environment … Continue reading
Materialia Indica 