Hey all. First time posting here. I'm known in other forums tho (and I deny ANY malicious rumors about my person! )

Anyway, I found an EXTREMELY exciting development in regards to Sci-Fi tech. What is Sci-Fi tech you ask? Put simply, Sci-Fi tech refers to any technology first seen in Science Fiction (movies, comics, TV, books...what have you) that is now being not only researched, but will soon be implemented. Examples include lasers, orbiting communication satellites, and now Transparent Aluminum. First seen on Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home, this stuff is incredibly strong.

Alot of things we've only imagined are becoming real. Stuff like powered exoskeletons and optical camoflage are close to becoming functional reality. What have you read of lately that falls into this category?

Was the Star Trek aluminum more or les pure aluminum with traditional photonic bandgaps? Because what the article refers to is aluminum oxide (alumina) glasses, which is different because Al2O3s are naturally more or less transparent (see: rubies and sapphires), these are simply manufactured and treated to increase hardness and transparency. You can get a more in-depth look at the technology on this site.

(Still quite exiting, ever for those of us who don't think too highly of Star Trek.)

news is a few weeks old, but exciting none the less.

It has been awhile since I've seem Star Trek IV, but transparent aluminum appeared to be a rather complex polymer when Scotty drew a 3D representation of the molecule.

Since he went to Plexicorp to have it manufactured it is not unlikely that it is, in fact, a plastic that is somehow related to plexiglass.
I'm not even sure if it actually contained aluminium or if that was just a common brand name.

Nanotech, and quantum dots are my faves.

Augmented Reality, Hands down. The possible uses I ould put that shit too in day to day life are so myriad and vast, that It beats out space travel for the technology I hope becomes commonly available within my lifetime.

Lovebots are definitely my favorite.