Blog (September 2011)
27-9-11
Beetle Juice
This is shellac and it's a resin that's been excreted by an Indian (female) "lac" beetle. More
19-9-11
Phil’s Findings #15: Rubber Bands
Most materials expand when heated. This is why the mercury in a thermometer rises with temperature, and it is why railway tracks are built with gaps between the ends of each rail. More
16-9-11
3D Printing
The Institute of Making's researcher Phil is preparing for his experiments using a 3D printer More
05-9-11
Phil’s Findings #14: Rubber
The native cultures of Central America are thought to have been the first people to make use of the extraordinary properties of natural rubber. The rubber, which they would tap from specific types of trees, was used to make various things including shoes, water carriers, and balls to play games with. Columbus observed how these native peoples were using natural rubber in his voyages in the fifteenth century, however it wasn’t until the eighteenth century that rubber and rubber trees were brought back to Europe and seriously experimented upon. More
01-9-11
Self-adjustable glasses
Look what arrived for me while I was on vacation: the first (and at the moment only) self-adjustable glasses - Adspecs. More