Sunday, February 1, 2015

atomic size matters



I needed to do something positive today.
Earlier, I found out about the deaths of two women in my social circles. I wasn't as close to them as I might one day have been, as our friendships are still fairly new.
Nonetheless, their deaths have left a dark place in my psyche.
How better to remedy the loss than by helping with the creation of something new?
As a chemist, this kickstarter project truly speaks to me. Veronica Berns, a recent doctoral graduate in chemistry, has inked a comic book to help explain solid state chemistry to her family and friends.
Pretty nifty, right?
What is solid state chemistry?
You know, the stacking of atoms to create micro-scale versions of old-fashioned vacuum tubes and transistors to help your computers, laptops, and even phones be "smart" for you, while still being physically small and lightweight. A scant 35 years ago, I was an electronics maintenance technician for the US Navy's "modern" computers, machines which were the size of refrigerators and required their own sterile, cool, environments - and had a fraction of the operating memory of today's electronic toys.
That's less than two generations ago! Amazing!
But I digress, as I am known to do...
(smile)
My $29 is not really needed by her campaign. Her science project has struck a chord and has garnered more than double the amount she had set as her goal.
Amazing! Does my heart good to know there are more than five hundred nerds like me who want a copy of her book. I wonder how many of the backers are also teachers like me?
I'll look forward to its shipment in May - just in time for my birthday!
Nice!

4 comments:

Vronica said...

02/02/15, 11:15 PM
Update #4
Nobel bonus comic to share!



Posted by Veronica Berns



Hey everybody!

Less than 24 hours left, and pledges are still rolling in!

I have a link to share to a super special bonus comic about the 2013 Nobel Prize that I did about a year ago. And it's hosted on my new website! Share this link, and get people pumped about science comics tonight:

http://www.veronicaberns.com/nobel-chem-2013/

Here's the three Nobel Laureates themselves, partaking in a well-deserved high-five:

Thanks again for all your support! I'll catch you on the flipside, Kickstarters!

Cheers,

Veronica

Anonymous said...

02/03/15 9:46 PM

Great news!

Thanks to you and 536 others, Atomic Size Matters has been successfully funded. Congratulations! Now you can visit the project’s comments and celebrate with your fellow backers.

Veronica said...

02/07/15 5:40 PM

Be sure to visit this link:
One last fun thing:

I'm so amazed and excited that you backers are located all over the world. I'm really looking forward to sending books to places I've never been! All in all, you guys are located in at least 25 different countries*, so I asked my brother the amateur vexillologist to make an illustration in MS Paint (his personal illustration program of choice):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/105659142/atomic-size-matters/posts/1126508

Cheers,

Veronica

faustina said...

How very cool, that word: vexillologist.
I watch "The Big Bang Theory" and Sheldon Cooper has a video blog titled "Fun With Flags". Here is the link to the episodes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7yMz8vbMgk