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Translucent Concrete: 30% Lighter, Lets 80% of Light Through

totonko.com — And it's pink!

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 8, 2009

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  • madywithshovel, on 01/07/2009, -5/+696"Now you can have all of the benefits of living in a glass house, and STILL be able to throw stones...."
  • inactive, on 01/07/2009, -14/+358I shat transparent brix
  • rstarr, on 01/08/2009, -3/+205Demetri Martin: There's a saying that goes "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Okay. How about "Nobody should throw stones." That's crappy behavior. My policy is: "No stone throwing regardless of housing situation." Don't do it. There is one exception though. If you're trapped in a glass house, and you have a stone, then throw it. What are you, an idiot? So maybe it's "Only people in glass houses should throw stones, provided they are trapped in the house with a stone." It's a little longer, but yeah.
  • inactive, on 01/08/2009, -0/+174You realize that by giving him the formula you're altering the future.
    Why? How do we know he didn't invent the thing?
  • krahzee, on 01/08/2009, -1/+145How is this not useful?

    Why? Because a wall built with this will still offer all of the benefits of concrete except it will allow natural light through.

    Picture using this type of product in an office building, for example. How much electricity could that save a year in lighting? Same thing with other big public spaces like a school's gymnasium and cafeteria, for example, that often run indoor lighting all day due to the way they were designed.

    Now add in the areas of the country concerned with things like hurricanes and you can see what this may enable architects to do without sacrificing safety for style.

    Oh, and if you watch the video, it comes in a variety of shades including a standard gray/ white shade that normal block comes in.

  • mizike, on 01/08/2009, -7/+143This article is proof that digg is completely broken. The link was dead before it hit the front page (the first few comments after the article hit the front page are all asking for a mirror, not to mention that this article was front page on reddit yesterday and was already dead back then), yet still made it through shouts and blind digging. I don't think anyone considers digg "social news" anymore what with all the stories being promoted by the same few people, but if digg isn't going to try and stop it, they could at least make sure dead links don't make it through to the front page.
  • MLGLies, on 01/08/2009, -11/+145Have you guys seen the new invisible concrete yet? It's 100% lighter and lets 100% of the light through.

  • Palquito, on 01/08/2009, -3/+92Hello, computer...
  • inactive, on 01/08/2009, -1/+87Now mob informants will be able to see their feet as they're sinking.
  • cJw314, on 01/08/2009, -1/+71HI, IT'S ME, BILLY MAYS, AND THIS IS THE NEW INVISIBLE CONCRETE, NOW ONLY $19.95.
  • schmidt349, on 01/08/2009, -1/+71A keyboard! How quaint.
  • whiledo, on 03/25/2009, -0/+64I've heard plenty of people compare Martin to Mitch Hedberg, but seeing his joke in print makes it even more obvious. You could read this in a Mitch Hedberg voice and it would completely fit.

    That's okay, though, I love 'em both.
  • geodebug, on 01/08/2009, -0/+59Tacky Miami bars rejoice!
  • aethelberga, on 01/08/2009, -5/+63Not many useful applications? I would have thought that It would be an ideal replacement for glass in lots of applications. Look at all the places they use those glass bricks.
    And this means we're halfway to transparent aluminum.
  • Kyan, on 01/08/2009, -0/+57And its molecular structure alters when solid objects are thrown at it, allowing them to pass through!
  • kromix, on 01/08/2009, -0/+53You skipped over the last digg article about transparent rebar?
  • norman619, on 01/08/2009, -1/+46http://science.howstuffworks.com/transparent-alumi ...

    FTA:
    "Not only can the aluminum armor deflect rounds from small-caliber weapons and still be more clearly transparent than bullet-resistant glass that's been shot, it also passes a much more important test -- it resists .50-caliber armor-piercing bullets and anti-aircraft weapons that typically use .30-caliber rounds. This is an impressive feat, especially since it's half the weight and thickness of traditional transparent armor."

    That's just fantastic!
  • diggduggjoe, on 01/08/2009, -0/+43Done properly, the rebar could be an excellent design characteristic. It could be painted, placed in exciting arrangements, etc.
  • aurisor, on 01/08/2009, -0/+42That's the ticket laddie!
  • ho0ber, on 01/08/2009, -0/+42Sadly, it has 0% of the compressive and tensile strength of standard concrete. What a shame!
  • v10vipe, on 01/08/2009, -1/+43nice i've always dreamed of driving over transparent bridges
  • pitlord, on 01/08/2009, -2/+43Site isn't loading but I found translucent concrete articles going back to 2004!
    http://optics.org/cws/article/research/19184
    http://www.litracon.hu/
    http://www.gizmag.com/go/5093/
    It's cool that they have colors now.
    In other news, Steve Jobs announces plans to build that candy colored iMac house he's always wanted.
    >.>
  • Totz83, on 01/08/2009, -0/+41http://optics.org/cws/article/research/19184
  • belyle, on 01/08/2009, -0/+41If you had read the comments, you would see that you are, in fact, not the only (or even the first) one to think of that.
  • bbtrev, on 01/08/2009, -0/+40Hello computer!
  • Hungryhaney, on 01/08/2009, -1/+40Why would 100% of the wall have to be transparent? And why would seeing the rebar be such an issue?
  • tgc1, on 01/08/2009, -0/+39Mirror?
  • elperegrino, on 01/08/2009, -4/+43more like glass really
  • AtomicTheory, on 01/08/2009, -0/+36You moron. </Professor Farnsworth>
  • Lowlypeon, on 01/08/2009, -2/+37We already have transparent aluminum, using a combination of aluminium, oxygen and nitrogen. Stuff is called ALON.
  • Cleancut360, on 01/07/2009, -1/+36I for one would personaly love to work with that
  • NakedJedi, on 01/08/2009, -1/+33Nice...but I'll wait for transparent Aluminum
  • solecize, on 01/08/2009, -2/+33perfect for public bathrooms
  • Voxxov, on 01/08/2009, -0/+27ACT NOW AND WE'LL DOUBLE YOUR ORDER!! (just pay processing)
  • duewydo, on 01/08/2009, -8/+34I am going to make a motion that we pass a federal law requiring all female dressing rooms be constructed with this material. um, because, we want them to have the best light and structural security possible!
  • FearlessFreep, on 01/08/2009, -0/+25Apparently the strength of the concrete is not enough to keep the server up
  • AdrianKRAZY, on 01/08/2009, -1/+24The translation of the text in the artical:

    This translucent concrete, created by Joel and soda sergio omar. Both Galvan students UAM Metropolitan Autonomous University of Mexico. It is 30% lighter than concrete joint step and allows up to 80% of the light and has the same conditions hardness, and resistance to earthquakes forged.
  • bbtrev, on 01/08/2009, -0/+22There be whales here!
  • 4NDr01D, on 01/08/2009, -0/+22how quaint
  • llotzafun, on 01/08/2009, -0/+21k3rfuffi3: Least intelligent comment in digg history, (sigh....)
  • inactive, on 01/08/2009, -0/+21Plastics? The way of the future? Hell no! CONCRETE!
  • tnoy, on 01/08/2009, -0/+20Mimes have been using it for years.
  • Mercury821, on 01/08/2009, -1/+21Admiril! There be whales here!
  • xxacefirexx, on 01/08/2009, -2/+22its complete ***** this has so many diggs
  • inactive, on 01/08/2009, -1/+20Keyboard?
  • jameskong15, on 01/08/2009, -0/+18Maybe they could make sidewalks with the stuff and have solar panels under it generating electricity. Protects the panels and provides 80% light. Probably too expensive and/or 80% light isn't enough, but whatever; just a thought.
  • mtwoar, on 01/08/2009, -17/+35Was I the only one who immediately thought of the time Scottie, in Star Trek, gave the formula for "Transparent Aluminum" to the guy from the past?
  • richirwin, on 01/08/2009, -0/+17What is this "Star Trek" of which you speak?
  • VanD, on 01/08/2009, -0/+17Why don't you look for a ***** mirror?
  • adogg06, on 01/08/2009, -7/+24Except that in most types of construction involving concrete walls, you have rebar spaced at even intervals to give the wall some tensile strength. You hardly ever see unreinforced concrete walls.
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