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Showing posts from August, 2023

WHY ISN’T BERYLLIUM USED INSTEAD OF STEEL, WHEN IT IS LIGHTER AND 6 TIMES STRONGER?

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  Samples of pure beryllium. Image credit: W. Oelen via Wikimedia, CC-BY-SA-3.0 What is Beryllium? Beryllium is a chemical element with the symbol Be and atomic number 4. It is a relatively rare, steel-gray metal that is lightweight, strong, and brittle at room temperature. Its main physical and chemical properties are: Beryllium is a steel-gray, strong, and lightweight metal. It has a density of 1.85 g/cm³, which is about one-third or about 30% lighter than aluminum, and 1.85 times that of water. It is relatively hard and brittle, with a melting point of 1,287 °C (2349 °F) and a boiling point of 2,471 °C (​4476 °F). It has high specific heat ( 1925 J·kg −1 ·K −1 ) and good thermal conductivity ( 200 W·m −1 ·K −1 ). Because of this property, it has one of the best heat dissipation characteristics per unit weight. It is relatively transparent to X-rays, making it useful in X-ray windows for medical and scientific applications. It is also a good conductor of electricity and...

Juul seeks authorization on a new vape it says can verify a user’s age. Here’s how it works

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  Juul is requesting authorization for a new vape tech. Steven Senne/AP/FILE CNN  —  E-cigarette company Juul Labs is seeking US authorization to sell a “next-generation” vape with age verification capabilities in the United States. To verify a user’s age, the proposed vape pairs with a phone app, requiring a customer to either upload their government ID and a real-time selfie or input personal information and allow a third-party database to verify their identity, according to a Juul spokesperson. A unique Pod ID chip within the Juul device can also detect counterfeit cartridges made by other companies, many of which have flooded the market with illegal fruity flavors that appeal to minors. The mission of the new platform is twofold, according to the company: Encourage adult smokers to switch from combustible cigarettes to e-cigarettes while restricting underage access. The legal age to purchase e-cigarettes in the United States is 21. “We look forward to engaging with FD...