EPISODE · Oct 14, 2024 · 21 MIN
142: Molecular Valves
from The History of Chemistry · host Steve Cohen
Science-fiction writers (and scientists) have been promoting molecular transistors since the 1950s, and we explore the history of why that hasn't happened yet. We start with the parallel sci-fi writer (and biochemist) Isaac Asimov's "molecular valves" and physicist Arthur von Hippel's "molecular engineering." We talk of military projects that failed, and theoretical ideas that take a lot of engineering to make them work.Support the showSupport my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistryTell me how your life relates to chemistry! E-mail me at [email protected] my book, O Mg! How Chemistry Came to Be, from World Scientific Publishing, https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12670#t=aboutBook
What this episode covers
Science-fiction writers (and scientists) have been promoting molecular transistors since the 1950s, and we explore the history of why that hasn't happened yet. We start with the parallel sci-fi writer (and biochemist) Isaac Asimov's "molecular valves" and physicist Arthur von Hippel's "molecular engineering." We talk of military projects that failed, and theoretical ideas that take a lot of engineering to make them work. Support the show Support my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/theh...
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142: Molecular Valves
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