"Researchers have created the world's thinnest pane of glass—and it looks oddly familiar. The glass, made of silicon and oxygen, formed accidentally when the scientists were making graphene {an atom-thick sheet of carbon}, on copper-covered quartz. They believe an air leak caused the copper to react with the quartz, which is also made of silicon and oxygen, producing a glass layer with the graphene. The glass is a mere three atoms thick—the minimum thickness of silica glass—which makes it two-dimensional. Although this is the first time such a thin sheet of freestanding glass has been produced, the image above, taken with an electron microscope, isn't entirely new. Reporting in an upcoming issue of Nano Letters, the team notes that it "strikingly resembles" a diagram drawn by a glass theorist attempting to unravel its structure back in 1932 (inset). In the ghostly microscope image, two silicon atoms bound together with an oxygen atom appear as white dots, with oxygen atoms forming gray connecting lines. This network of random-sized rings is mirrored in the old black and white sketch. In addition to demonstrating how graphene makes it possible to produce previously unfeasible 2D-materials, ultra-thin glass could be used in semiconductor or graphene transistors."
"Vittorio Costantini is a Venetian glass master known for his precisely rendered small flameworked sculptures. He is inspired by nature, and he works with a range of subjects, including multi-colored insects, butterflies, birds, fish, and flowers. Costantini's pieces are celebrated for their accuracy of form and truth to detail. The film, by Academy and Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Robin Lehman, was made at The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass."
"This working model of a Stephenson steam engine is handcrafted entirely from glass by Czech artist Michal Zahradník. The artist says the engine can operate at up to 500 rpm. The steam engine is just one of Zahradník’s bafflingly intricate glass creations."
"The crankshaft is glass. The piston is glass. The counterweight that makes the wheel spin evenly is glass. Imagine that everything is made out of glass. * There are no sealants used. All is accomplished by a perfectly snug fit. The gap between the piston and its compartment is so small, that the water that condensates from the steam seals it shut! * Notice the elaborate excessive steam exhaust system next to the piston. * The piston is the most arduous part to make due to to extreme level of precision needed. Its parts have to be so accurate that no machinery is of use here. The piston and its cylinder must be hand sanded to perfection, and they are very likely to crack in the process! On average, three out of four crack."
"Glass is an alchemic blend of sand and metallic oxides combined with extraordinary, blinding heat. The result is a material that flows and drips like honey. When it's hot, glass is alive. It moves gracefully and inexorably in response to gravity and centrifugal force. It possesses an inner light and transcendent radiant heat that makes it simultaneously one of the most frustrating - and one of the most rewarding - materials to work with"
"Glass Beach is a beach in MacKerricher State Park near Fort Bragg, California that is abundant in sea glass created from years of dumping garbage into an area of coastline near the northern part of the town."
by James Bort Baccarat gave photographer James Bort carte blanche to shoot an exclusive behind-the-scenes video in its ateliers. The result is "House of Crystal", a stunning depiction of the artistry and savoir faire behind the magic of crystal
"Jerram's Glass Microbiology sculptures are in Museum collections around the world. In 2007 Jerram won an Institute for Medical Imaging Award for this work and in 2009 his sculptures were presented at Mori Museum, Tokyo along with work by Damien Hirst, Warhol and Leonardo da Vinci. In 2010 he was awarded The Rakow Award for this work and a fellowship at the Museum of Glass, Washington."
