Material in Science Fiction

(Technovelgy items at top: skip down to News)

3D Printed Damascus Steel Now Possible

'... lined with durite, that strange close-packed laboratory product.' - Robert Heinlein, 1939.

(re: Robert Heinlein, 6/17/2020 )

3D Printing Of Metallic Glass

Great Scott!

(re: Nolan and Calkins, 4/7/2020 )

Draw Circuits With Conductive Ink

'It's rewiring things... squeezing silver toothpaste in a ribbon along the printed circuitry.'

(re: Niven and Pournelle, 3/11/2020 )

How To Encode The 'Memory' Of Materials

'Just jar it, and it falls into that structure like a rubber figure returning to shape.' - Samuel R. Delany, 1966.

(re: Samuel R. Delany, 12/11/2019 )

Surface Film Repels All Bacteria

'Most gentlemen's and ladies' gloves nowadays were constructed of infinitesimal fabricules that knew how to eject dirt...'- Neal Stephenson, 1995

(re: Neal Stephenson, 12/7/2019 )

Frictionless Toilet Could Save 140 Billion Liters Of Water

'The bowl was a frictionless surface...' Niven and Pournelle, 1974.

(re: Niven and Pournelle, 11/15/2019 )

Osmiridium Sounds Like Science Fiction (But It's Not!)

I can't resist science-fictional elements. Especially when they're real.

(re: Jack Vance, 9/21/2019 )

'Metallic Wood' Strong Like Titanium, Floats In Water

'A metal... light as cork and stronger than steel...' - Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1929.

(re: Edgar Rice Burroughs, 3/28/2019 )

Self-Healing Material Pulls Carbon Out Of The Air

'... could seal the punctures.' - Raymond Z. Gallun, 1951.

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 10/6/2018 )

Shapeshifting Materials Transform By Light

'Its lines wavered, flowed, and then painfully reformed.'- Philip K. Dick, 1957.

(re: Philip K. Dick, 9/29/2018 )

Superstrong Multilayer Metal-Graphene Composite Material

Negligible increase in weight increased material strength by hundreds of times.

(re: Frank Herbert, 9/19/2018 )

Amphibio 3D Printed Gill Shirt

'... we can descend and live down there at one of those year-round aquatic resorts.' - Philip K. Dick, 1966.

(re: Philip K. Dick, 9/5/2018 )

Self-Healing Circuits From Carnegie Mellon

'It even had an inter-skin layer of gum that could seal the punctures...'- Raymond Z. Gallun, 1951.

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 5/19/2018 )

Dune Fans! Metal-Organic Frameworks Make Science Fiction Real

'Dew collectors,' he muttered, enchanted by the simple beauty of such a scheme. - Frank Herbert, 1965.

(re: Frank Herbert, 3/9/2018 )

Fungi-Infused Concrete Repairs Itself

'I noticed that curious mottled knots were forming, indicating where the room had been strained and healed faultily.'- J.G. Ballard, 1962.

(re: J.G. Ballard, 1/14/2018 )

3D Printed Graphene Aerogel - So Light!

'... light as cork and stronger than steel...' - Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1929.

(re: Edgar Rice Burroughs, 7/4/2017 )

Vantablack Now IMMEASURABLY Black

'a black coating now thats ninety-nine percent absorptive...' - Doc Smith, 1934.

(re: Doc Smith, 4/2/2017 )

New Paper - Write With Light Erase With Heat

Writing with light, erasing with heat.

(re: Greg Bear, 1/28/2017 )

Reconfigured Graphene 10X Strong, 5 Percent Dense, As Steel

'...It was made of Alohydrolium, which is the lightest of all metals.' - Hugo Gernsback, 1911.

(re: Hugo Gernsback, 1/3/2017 )

MIT's aeroMorph Technology

'... It falls into that structure like a rubber figure returning to shape.' - Samuel R. Delany, 1966.

(re: Samuel R. Delany, 12/29/2016 )

Russia's Protective Ferrite Fabric

'His suit-shield sucked in the energy and discharged it...'- Philip K. Dick, 1954.

(re: Philip K Dick, 9/17/2016 )

Carbyne, The Ultimate Form Of Carbon

'A continuous pseudo-one dimensional diamond crystal...'- Arthur C. Clarke, 1978.

(re: Arthur C. Clarke, 9/4/2016 )

Liquid Metal Terminator Development Hums Right Along

More research is needed - check!

(re: Philip K Dick, 8/16/2016 )

Breathable Carbon Nanotube Membrane For 'Smart Uniforms'

'The 'skin's got these reflexes, changes its permeability...' - Peter Watts, 1999.

(re: Peter Watts, 8/1/2016 )

Beta-Ti3Au Titanium-Gold Alloy Hardest Tissue-Compatible Metal

It needs a more science-fictional name!

(re: Various, 7/4/2016 )

Metal That Morphs

'A mimetic poly-alloy.' John Cameron, 1991.

(re: Philip K Dic13k, 3/16/2016 )

Self-Adapting Composite Heals Itself

'...Could seal the punctures that grain-of-sand-sized meteors might make.' - Ramond Z. Gallun, 1951.

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 1/26/2016 )

Strong Metal, Light Metal - Same Metal!

'A metal... light as cork and stronger than steel...' - Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1929.

(re: Edgar Rice Burroughs, 12/22/2015 )

New Glass Tough As Steel

'Windows of an artificial transparent element...'' - Olaf Stapledon, 1930.

(re: Olaf Stapledon, 10/26/2015 )

Blackest Black? New Disordered Nanostructured Material

'Well, we have a black coating now thats ninety-nine percent absorptive...' - Doc Smith, 1934.

(re: Doc Smith, 10/18/2015 )

Boeing Creates Lightest Metal Ever

'A metal that was apparently as light as cork and stronger than steel...' - Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1929.

(re: Edgar Rice Burroughs, 10/10/2015 )

Light Molecules (And Maybe Light Sabers, Someday)

'It will be matter, matter made of light...'- John W. Campbell, 1930.

(re: John W. Campbell, 9/24/2015 )

Invisible Drones Will (Not) Appear Over Your Town

'Light-waves are bent around it without loss or distortion.' - Doc Smith, 1939.

(re: EE 'Doc Smith, 9/8/2015 )

New Super Slippery Surface Better Than Nature's

'The water flowed off those walls without binding tension.'- Frank Herbert, 1965.

(re: Frank Herbert, 9/3/2015 )

Living Concrete Repairs Itself

Science fiction fans were given this idea in 1951.

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 6/7/2015 )

Metal Composite Floats Your Boat

'A metal that was apparently as light as cork and stronger than steel...' - Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1929.

(re: Edgar Rice Burroughs, 5/11/2015 )

LiquiGlide Will Be Everywhere

'They poured the remnants of eggs out of their frictionless cups...'- Larry Niven, 1973.

(re: Larry Niven, 3/13/2015 )

Synthetic 'Squid Skin' For Camouflage On The Way

'The small, chameleon-clad figures continued to advance.'- Gordon R. Dickson, 1960.

(re: Gordon R. Dickson, 1/19/2015 )

Shape-Shifting Carbon Fiber

'Its lines wavered, flowed, and then painfully reformed.'- Philip K. Dick, 1957.

(re: Philip K. Dick, 11/12/2014 )

'Diamond Nanothreads' Now, Someday Space Elevators?

'It is a continuous pseudo-one dimensional diamond crystal'- Arthur C. Clarke, 1978.

(re: Arthur C Clarke, 10/13/2014 )

Diamond Nanothreads For Space Elevators?

'Continuous pseudo-one dimensional diamond crystal.'- Arthur C. Clarke.

(re: Arthur C. Clarke, 9/23/2014 )

Liquid Metal Technology Now Exists

'A mimetic poly-alloy.' John Cameron, 1991.

(re: John Cameron, 9/21/2014 )

Crystalized Light Created At Princeton

'It will be matter, matter made of light...'- John W. Campbell, 1930.

(re: John W. Campbell, 9/11/2014 )

New Material Is One Molecule Thick

'Hasan always pitched a Gauzy - a one-molecule-layer tent...'- Roger Zelazny, 1966.

(re: Roger Zelazny, 8/20/2014 )

Vantablack Is Blacker Than Your Black

'Well, we have a black coating now thats ninety-nine percent absorptive...'- Dpc Smith, 1934.

(re: Doc Smith, 7/8/2014 )

Shatterproof Phone Screens Coming Soon

'It was like the pounding of a rock...'-Clifford Simak, 1963.

(re: Clifford Simak, 6/8/2014 )

'Smart Silk' In Quantity

Strongest stuff in the world, stronger than the best steel. Synthetic spider silk...- Robert Heinlein, 1939.

(re: Robert Heinlein, 1/21/2014 )

Home Made Lightsaber?

'Instantly the disk put forth a blue-white beam as thick around as his thumb.'-George Lucas, 1976

(re: George Lucas, 9/26/2013 )

Self-Healing Polymer Works Without Catalyst

'It even had an inter-skin layer of gum that could seal the punctures...'- Raymond Z. Gallun, 1951.

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 9/16/2013 )

Filabot Turns Dull Plastic Junk To 3D Printed Shiny

'Whenever Nell's clothes got too small for her, Harv would pitch them into the deke bin and then have the M.C. make new ones.'-Neal Stephenson, 1995.

(re: Neal Stephenson, 1/16/2013 )

Army Wants Black Blacker Than Black

'Well, we have a black coating now thats ninety-nine percent absorptive...'- Doc Smith, 1940.

(re: Doc Smith, 12/26/2012 )

Military Fabric Like A Smart Second Skin

Now, your dress whites and your NBC suit can be the same outfit.

(re: Isaac Asimov, 11/29/2012 )

Outdoor Testing For Self-Healing Concrete

'I noticed that curious mottled knots were forming, indicating where the room had been strained and healed faultily.'- J.G. Ballard, 1962.

(re: J.G. Ballard, 11/10/2012 )

MIT's New Super Slippery Surface

'The water flowed off those walls without binding tension...' - Frank Herbert, 1965.

(re: Frank Herbert, 10/24/2012 )

Glowing LumiLor-Coated Cycles From Sith CycleWerks

Electroluminescent paint for your motorcycle.

(re: Richard Morgan, 9/17/2012 )

DARPA Seeks Science-Fictional Materials

'A metal that was apparently as light as cork and stronger than steel...' - Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1929.

(re: Edgar Rice Burroughs, 9/15/2012 )

Self-Healing Materials - Microencapsulated or Microvascular

'An inter-skin layer of gum that could seal the punctures...'

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 6/11/2012 )

LiquiGlide Coating, Your New Condiment Lubricant

'The water flowed off those walls without binding tension...'

(re: Frank Herbert, 5/21/2012 )

Smart, Self-Healing Hydrogels

Linked chains of polymer molecules... with 'dangling side chain' molecules.

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 5/13/2012 )

Designer Materials Possible With Designer Electrons

Science-fictional materials are on the way!

(re: Various, 3/21/2012 )

Carbon Nanotube Knife Like Cheese Slicer

Fascinating development in materials science, predicted by Clarke thirty years ago for sf fans.

(re: Arthur C. Clarke, 2/24/2012 )

Amazonian Fungus Eats Polyurethane

I guess I'd still like to know what the fungus breaks plastic down into.

(re: Michael Crichton, 2/2/2012 )

Self-Healing Batteries

It would be better if our gadgets could simply repair themselves when broken (with video).

(re: J.G. Ballard, 1/25/2012 )

Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surface

Get the last little bit from containers, thanks to materials science.

(re: Frank Herbert, 11/16/2011 )

NASA's Super-Black Now Even Blacker

'Our material is darn near perfect across multiple wavelength bands, from the ultraviolet to the far infrared.'

(re: E.E. 'Doc Smith, 11/10/2011 )

Worlds First Intelligent Absorbent For Radioactive Contaminants

The material uses titanate nanofiber and nanotube technology.

(re: John W. Campbell, 10/27/2011 )

Blacker-Than-Black Corrugated Metamaterials

This idea also fascinates sf authors; can you think of sfnal materials that are darker than black?

(re: E.E. 'Doc Smith, 10/1/2011 )

Super Bainite Armor Steel

'There's a sheet of just plain Nothing between us and it's impenetrable.'

(re: Theodore Sturgeon, 9/15/2011 )

Flexible, Transparent Speakers From Graphene

See through your speakers, someday.

(re: Bruce Sterling, 7/12/2011 )

Accoustic Cloak Achieves Sonic Invisibility

The ultimate achievement in being seen but not heard.

(re: Robert Heinlein, 7/5/2011 )

Invisibility Cloaks Get Bigger

Now you see it; full-size invisibility cloaks are almost within our grasp.

(re: Ray Cummings, 6/11/2011 )

Graphene Paper 10x Stronger Than Steel

This new material is paper-thin and super-strong.

(re: Jules Verne, 4/17/2011 )

Textile Energy Storage

It's a prototype systematic fiber-based electrochemical micro-supercapacitor.

(re: Murray Leinsrer, 1/23/2011 )

Metallic Glass Stronger Than Steel

The new metallic glass is a microalloy featuring palladium.

(re: Various, 1/12/2011 )

Autonomous Adaptive Structure Uses Shape Memory Polymer

Part of an autonomous adaptive structure created at MIT.

(re: J.G. Ballard, 12/10/2010 )

New Black From NASA Uses Nanotubes

This new material is blacker than black paint.

(re: E.E. 'Doc Smith, 12/5/2010 )

'Super Photons' Blob State Matter

Amazing new material reveals once again the quantum nature of light.

(re: John W. Campbell, 11/25/2010 )

Airbus Proposes Invisible Plane

Airbus has a great idea for a transparent fuselage - I wonder where they got that idea?

(re: Various, 10/28/2010 )

Self-Healing Concrete Uses Bacteria For Healing

Is it possible that bacteria in buildings could play the role of your body's osteoblast cells - repairing their minor fractures?

(re: J.G. Ballard, 9/2/2010 )

Ice Formation At Room Temperature Is Possible With New Material

This technology will have a number of practical implications. Busy, busy, busy, says Bokonon.

(re: Kurt Vonnegut, 7/27/2010 )

Mycotectural Buildings Made Of Fungus

Fungus bricks - the building material of the future? It can also be used as packing material to replace non-biodegradeable styrofoam.

(re: Larry Niven, 2/11/2010 )

Liquid Glass Universal Spray-On Protectant

This unique spray-on coating creates a flexible protective barrier that can be used on almost anything.

(re: Clifford Simak, 2/5/2010 )

Sensitile Terrazzo Tiles With Light-Channels

This fascinating floor tile 'device' can redistribute incident light, or make use of fiber optic light channels with LED light.

(re: Richard Morgan, 12/21/2009 )

Shape-Shifting Antennas

Fascinating material science makes Heinlein's magic realism come to life.

(re: Robert Heinlein, 12/2/2009 )

Brine Wells May Swallow Towns

What kind of spaces are we opening up beneath our feet?

(re: Sigizmund Krzhizhanowsky, 11/18/2009 )

Silicon-Silk Electronic Implants

What would you do with implantable electronics that could flex right along with your body?

(re: Paul Di Filippo, 11/4/2009 )

Thermeleon Roof Tiles Change Color To Save Energy

Very clever project could greatly save on heating and cooling costs. I also like the name chosen for the team that developed the material.

(re: Frank Herbert, 10/9/2009 )

Tooth Enamel Secret To Stronger Aircraft

Looking for a new composite to build stronger planes? Smile, aerospace engineers, new materials are on the way.

(re: Dan Simmons, 8/25/2009 )

Self-Healing Metal Coating

Imagine a material that can heal itself when scratched, or become more corrosion-resistant, or become self-lubricating.

(re: J.G. Ballard, 8/10/2009 )

New Transparent Aluminum Somewhat Shortlived

What, another story about transparent aluminum. No really, it is transparent. To ultraviolet lights. For a very short time. But it's pretty cool.

(re: Gene Roddenberry, 7/28/2009 )

InfoChemistry And Self-Folding Origami

DARPA is moving right along on their programmable matter project.

(re: Samuel R. Delany, 6/11/2009 )

Silver-Based Epoxy Makes Electronics Thinner

Interesting technique for making memory packages smaller - I'm pretty sure I read about this idea more than thirty years ago.

(re: Niven and Pournelle, 5/20/2009 )

Bendable, Self-Healing Concrete

This engineered cement composite can not only bend, it can heal itself without any intervention from human beings.

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 5/6/2009 )

Atomic Layer Deposition Like Wolverine's

This technique could also toughen other biomaterials. Like possibly an X-man's skeleton and claws?

(re: Various, 5/5/2009 )

BAM! It's More Slippery Than Teflon (And Greener)

Remarkable material is super slick and super hard, even in the thinnest coating.

(re: Clifford Simak, 11/26/2008 )

'Plastic Steel': Optically Transparent Plastic Nanocomposites

Sounds pretty close to transparent aluminum to me; and it's available in thin sheets like Visqueen or Mylar.

(re: Various, 11/25/2008 )

Carbon Nanotube Speakers Are Flexible, Transparent

This material could be an enabler for a variety of science fictional ideas, Update: a reader has found a great precursor to the idea of a flexible speaker.

(re: Bruce Sterling, 11/22/2008 )

Buckypaper To Go Commercial Soon

Fascinating material may actually be available soon in commercial quantities as a product for use in aerospace and other industries.

(re: Various, 10/20/2008 )

E-Skin For Robots Stretches Like Yours

Modern science marches on, making robots nicer to the touch.

(re: Various, 8/13/2008 )

Neowater - Like Intracellular Water

Unique process creates a specially structured water that is very similar to intracellular water; this should have both medical and industry applications.

(re: Kurt Vonnegut, 8/6/2008 )

Graphene Is Also Super Strong

One of the most remarkable materials ever discovered, graphene continues to amaze.

(re: Roger Zelazny, 7/20/2008 )

Nanopaper - Paper Tough As Steel

This material sounds like it has a lot of potential; light as paper, with the tensile strength of steel.

(re: Jules Verne, 7/1/2008 )

Two Plastics Merge To Create 'Metal'

Interesting combination of insulators produces a conductor.

(re: Frank Herbert, 6/16/2008 )

Flexible Rigid Biopolymer Inspired By Sea Cucumbers

Researchers look to the humble sea cucumber for help in finding new materials for implantable electrodes.

(re: William Gibson, 6/13/2008 )

Scientist Web-Spinners Could Just Ask Spiderman

I had no idea that detailed information on how Spiderman actually generates his webs was so easily available.

(re: Stan Lee, 5/1/2008 )

Graphene Reveals Fine Structure Constant

This amazing nanofabric is just one atom thick; physicists looking through this material can see one of the most mysterious fundamental constants known to science.

(re: Roger Zelazny, 4/4/2008 )

Metal Prices High Enough For Robot Sacrifice

When will we program robots to recycle themselves?

(re: Various, 3/25/2008 )

Iron Man Dreaming of Biological Fabrication of Circuits

I've always admired the diatoms - they are truly our friends. But now, they might even be able to help us make smaller circuits.

(re: Unknown, 3/8/2008 )

Smart Paint: Electronic Power System Surfaces

Ah, remember those days when the label on a plastic bottle or similar surface was static? Soon, companies will be able to change it even after you buy the product.

(re: Steven Spielberg, 3/5/2008 )

Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Nanowire Fashions For Spring

When I think of all the energy wasted in the sixties from corduroy pants alone, it makes me weep.

(re: Frank Herbert, 2/16/2008 )

Nanofibers In Unlimited Lengths Now Available

I don't need fibers that are actually unlimited; nanotubes that were long enough to reach the ISS are probably long enough...

(re: Arthur C. Clarke, 2/13/2008 )

3D DNA-Directed Nanoassembly

First instance of three-dimensional self-directed nanoassembly; building materials from the bottom up.

(re: Raymond Z. Gallun, 2/5/2008 )

Carbon Nanotube Blackness Blacker Than Black

Absorbs 99.9 percent of incident light, and good enough for Zaphod Beeblebrox - maybe.

(re: E.E. 'Doc Smith, 1/21/2008 )

Zetix Blast Resistant Fabric Has Other Uses

This amazing material has a very counter-intuitive property; it gets thicker when you stretch it out.

(re: Various, 12/7/2007 )

Plasteel? UM's New Ultrastrong Nanocomposite

Nifty new material built in layers like mother of pearl has the strength, if not the ductility, of steel.

(re: Frank Herbert, 10/5/2007 )

Betavoltaic Battery: 30 Years Of Power

Is it possible to create a small battery that could power a laptop for years?

(re: Robert Heinlein, 10/3/2007 )

Ice-Nine Modeled In Harvard Computer - We're Doomed

Okay, the world probably won't end, but Harvard researchers really do think they have found a way for ice to be solid at room temp.

(re: Kurt Vonnegut, 10/1/2007 )

Geckel Adhesive Has Gecko-Mussel Foot Power

To get the ultimate in stickiness, you must sit at the feet of the masters.

(re: Various, 7/20/2007 )

Richard Palmer, d3o Inventor, O2 X Entrepreneur of the Year

Inventor Richard Palmer gets a bit of recognition for bringing science fiction to life for all of us.

(re: Larry Niven, 7/10/2007 )

Self-Healing Polymer Autonomous Material System

Autonomous materials may be able to heal themselves without high maintenance costs.

(re: J.G. Ballard, 6/13/2007 )

Rhenium Diboride Like Metal, Crystal

Tip for creating latest super-tough material found in Doc Smith.

(re: E.E. 'Doc' Smith, 4/25/2007 )

Kryptonite Discovered By Scientist

Boffins are finally able to identify mysterious mineral.

(re: DC Comics, 4/24/2007 )

Slow Light 'Scenedow' Close At Hand

It looks like a prototype 'scenedow' from Light of Other Days has been created at the University of Rochester.

(re: Bob Shaw, 1/20/2007 )

Shape-Memory Polymers Temperature Morphing

Special polymers perform amazing stunts in response to modest temperature changes.

(re: Samuel R. Delany, 11/25/2006 )

d3o Design Competition To Invent The Future

Design your own materials for the future using d3o intelligent molecules, and win cash prizes.

(re: L. Niven, 7/5/2006 )

Namib Desert Beetle-based Dune Dew Collectors

They're not chromoplastic, but this new material could be used in Frank Herbert's dew collectors from Dune.

(re: Frank Herbert, 6/18/2006 )

Metal-like Polymer Developed In South Korea

Who would ever think of flexible, extrudable plastic with the same properties as metal wire? SF authors, that's who.

(re: Niven and Pournelle, 5/9/2006 )

Anti-Adhesive Surfaces Of Plants

The natural world is the source of some of the best 'thinking' in materials science.

(re: Clifford Simak, 1/18/2006 )

New Materials One Atom Thick Extracted With Micromechanical Cleavage

Science fictional materials are created by extracting individual atomic planes from conventional bulk crystals by using a technique called 'micromechanical cleavage'.

(re: Roger Zelazny, 7/21/2005 )

Invisibility Using Plasmonic Covers

Researchers Andrea Alu and Nader Engheta of the University of Pennsylvania have written a paper on how plasmonic resonance effects might be used to render an object invisible.

(re: H.G. Wells, 3/2/2005 )

Water-Repellent 'Bumpy' Glass Mimics Lotus Leaves

The lotus is a good model for a water-repellent surface; they are waxy and covered with tiny bumps that make water roll off. Surfaces like ordinary glass are naturally wettable; when water is poured onto it, its surface tension is reduced so it sprea

(re: Frank Herbert, 1/30/2005 )

Graphene - Nanofabric One Atom Thick

A nanofabric called graphene just one atom thick has been created at The University of Manchester.

(re: Roger Zelazny, 10/23/2004 )

Aluminate Glass: Did Scientists Create Transparent Aluminum?

Scientists at 3M in Minnesota have alloyed aluminum oxide with rare-earth metal oxides to create a strong glass with good optical qualities - it really is transparent alumninum.

(re: N. Meyer/H. Bennett, 8/23/2004 )

Pilkington Activ Glass - The Invisible Squeegee Of Window-Willie

Pilkington Activ glass has a coating of microcrystalline titanium oxide that acts as an "invisible squeegee" to allow the surface to clean itself.

(re: Robert Heinlein, 6/9/2004 )

Diamondoids From Crude Oil Aid Nanotechnology Research

Diamondoids are now being refined from crude oil in sufficient quantities to allow for formal research and development in nanotechnology. Diamondoids are not for jewelry; each one is only .000000000000000001 carat in size.

(re: Neal Stephenson, 5/10/2004 )