#Infrared Temperature Sensor Infrared Sensor

[futureelectronic1527]

Melexis: Temperature Sensors MLX90632 Medical

https://www.futureelectronics.com/resources/featured-products/melexis-mlx90632-infrared-temperature-sensor . Melexis MLX90632 infrared sensor is based on established far infrared (FIR) technology that utilizes the fact that every object emits heat radiation proportional to its temperature. The ultra-small device includes the sensor element, signal processing, digital interface and optics allowing integration into a wide variety of space-constrained applications. https://youtu.be/th0h-oMG6Wc

[thermomtrefr]

High-Performance Infrared Thermometer for Accurate Temperature Measurement | Thermometre.fr

Are you in need of a reliable and accurate temperature measurement solution? Look no further than our state-of-the-art Infrared Thermometer, available exclusively on Thermometre.fr. This advanced device is designed to provide fast and precise temperature readings, making it an essential tool for various applications.

Applications:

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Healthcare professionals for clinical temperature measurement.

Industrial applications for monitoring the temperature of machinery and equipment.

Food industry for temperature control during food preparation and storage.

HVAC professionals for temperature measurement in heating and cooling systems.

Our infrared thermometer is built to meet the highest quality standards, ensuring long-lasting and accurate performance. Trust in our product to provide you with the temperature data you need, when you need it.

Order your Infrared Thermometer today on Thermometre.fr and experience the convenience and accuracy it offers. Your health and safety are our top priorities.

Visit: https://www.thermometre.fr/

[albatris]

snippit sindiy

an excuse to show off some of the things I learned when I went on a ghost hunt a few months back hahaha

“Ripley,” he said, once they were inside and no stray passersby could possibly hear. “I’ve learned a lot about vampires since we last hung out.”

“Oh, yeah?” she said. She dropped her bag and dropped down next to it, started pulling boxes and meters out.

Nat did the same. “Yeah,” he said. “I learned that we have to, like, kill people. And also that when we die we explode into a huge gory mess of eyes and teeth. If we get shot in the brain or poisoned real bad.”

“Pretty fucking gnarly, hey?”

“Mm,” Nat said. “What kind of people do you go after?”

“Oh, I mostly just hang out at bars and eat creeps,” Ripley said. “Someone slips something into someone’s drink, someone gets a little too nonconsensually handsy… I’ll lure ‘em out back and take care of ‘em.”

“Cool,” Nat said. But Quinn’s earlier concern still scratched at his mind. “Doesn’t that get dangerous, though?” he asked. “Like, what if someone sees you? What if someone traces the deaths back to you?”

“Well, the cops are useless, for one,” Ripley said. She started fiddling with a small box and a few blinking lights snapped on. “Drunk people aren’t the most observant, either. It’s fine.”

“And vampire hunters?” Nat pressed.

She tilted her head. “We don’t get those here too often anymore. Hunters don’t think there’s many vampires left in Darwelaide.”

“What about the Knight?”

“The Knight?” Ripley peered at him over the top of her box. “Where did you hear that name?”

“From… um, Quinn.”

She pursed her lips. “Oh,” she said. “Well, they’re probably just trying to rile you up, get you nervous. The Knight hasn’t been around for twenty, thirty years. She’s pretty famous. And pretty dead.”

Ripley nudged through the collection of objects on the ground with her boot, naming each of them as she did so.

“We got EMF readers for measuring fluctuations in electromagnetic fields,” she said. “We got digital voice recorders to record sounds beyond human hearing…”

“Beyond vampire hearing, too?”

“Depends how nervous you are.”

“I’m not nervous.”

“Not scared of ghosts, Natty?”

“Not really. But kind of. But not. I mean, I don’t think they exist,” Nat said. “But I used to think vampires didn’t exist either. And I watched Supernatural Activity when I was way too young for it and it scarred me for life.”

Ripley laughed. “We’re probably the scariest things out here. What’s a ghost going to do to a vampire?”

“It could shoot me in the brain or poison me real bad.”

Her laugh became a cackle. When she settled, she said, “We have infrared thermometers, for measuring mysterious drops in temperature. Cold spots. We got motion-sensing cat toys—”

“Why?”

“The cat toys? Yeah, they cost, like, two dollars and work as good as any proper ghost-hunting sensor. They start flashing whenever something touches them.” Ripley unzipped a small case and pulled out a few seemingly unrelated objects. “We have trigger items here—things the ghosts of old might find interesting. Flask of alcohol, chocolate, tobacco… we put the cat toys with a trigger item and see what happens.”

“Oh, cool!” Nat said.

“And this guy”—Ripley waved about the box she was holding—“is a spirit box. It’s really fun. We’ll do this one together.”

“How does it work?”

“It scans through radio frequencies in little bursts and provides a way for spirits to communicate.”

“Ooh.”

“Here, grab some of these and turn them on.” Ripley made a sweeping motion to her equipment. “Go nuts! Go put ‘em around the place, anywhere that gives you spooky vibes.”

“We don’t keep them with us?”

“Ghosts are skittish. Ghosts are shy. You want to leave the devices in peace, mostly.”

[rainy-nomad]

Not at home rn so no arts but I have some hardware virus au ideas that are stirring around in my brain.

- The DCA naturally has a very silent walk, steming from the whole “kids shouldn’t be woken up by loud animatronic during nap time” design. To counter this, Sun is purposefully very loud so he won’t accidentally startle you.

- Sun’s “idle animation” consists of him clicking his fingers (like that one irl eclipse robot) and rattling his rays by randomly retracting then rocketing them back out.

- He’s not in pain, likely some discomfort (as much as a robot can feel at least). The virus makes itself known by a temporary increase in temperature while mutations are occurring, as well as systems errors alerting to something foreign in an affected area and a strong push to solve the issue by assimilating materials.

- Sun is blind. The only vision related systems left are infrared sensors, but only moon has access to them. Though they both have excellent hearing.

- The DCA can no longer stand up straight due to length of his body and the thinning of this limbs. If he could he would measure around 16ft tall. Therefore he is quite a long lad.

-The DCA can only whisper. Who needs full range on a voice box when your new purpose is to be a sneaky snake.

- A flashlight is enough to keep Sun as Sun. In this au both sides have a lot more control when it comes to switching. Just make sure to give him some light in dark areas and keep that flashlight charged.

Anyways that’s all I got for now friends!

[materialsscienceandengineering]

MIT engineers have developed a technique to grow and peel ultrathin "skins" of electronic material. The method could pave the way for new classes of electronic devices, such as ultrathin wearable sensors, flexible transistors and computing elements, and highly sensitive and compact imaging devices. As a demonstration, the team fabricated a thin membrane of pyroelectric material -- a class of heat-sensing material that produces an electric current in response to changes in temperature. The thinner the pyroelectric material, the better it is at sensing subtle thermal variations. With their new method, the team fabricated the thinnest pyroelectric membrane yet, measuring 10 nanometers thick, and demonstrated that the film is highly sensitive to heat and radiation across the far-infrared spectrum.

Read more.

[daleeltrading]

How to Solve Overheating Issues in Electrical Panels

Electrical panels are the nerve centers of industrial, commercial, and residential power systems. Their reliability is crucial, yet one of the most common and dangerous issues that can arise is overheating. Left unaddressed, overheating in electrical panels can lead to equipment failure, costly downtime, fires, or even fatal accidents. Understanding the root causes and adopting preventive as well as corrective measures is essential to ensure electrical safety and operational efficiency.

Causes of Overheating in Electrical Panels

To solve the problem of overheating, we must first identify its sources. Some of the most common causes include:

1. Loose or Corroded Connections

Electrical current encounters resistance at loose or oxidized joints. This resistance generates heat, especially under load, leading to localized hotspots which may not be visible until failure occurs.

2. Overloaded Circuits

Each circuit is rated for a specific current. Drawing more current than the rated capacity results in excess heat generation within breakers, busbars, and wires.

3. Inadequate Ventilation

Poor airflow in and around the panel restricts natural or forced heat dissipation. In high ambient temperature environments, this can quickly push the panel beyond safe thermal limits.

4. Improper Component Sizing

Undersized breakers, conductors, or transformers struggle to handle load currents, leading to thermal stress and degradation over time.

5. Dust and Contamination

Dust accumulation acts as an insulating layer, trapping heat inside components. Combined with humidity or oil vapors, this can further degrade insulation and create tracking paths.

How to Identify Overheating Problems

1. Thermal Imaging

Using infrared thermography is one of the most effective ways to detect hotspots. It provides a non-contact, real-time temperature map of the panel and highlights abnormally heated components.

2. Manual Temperature Monitoring

For panels without thermal sensors, regularly measuring surface temperatures using contact thermometers can provide early warnings of rising heat levels.

3. Visual Inspection

Signs like discoloration, melted insulation, or the smell of burning plastic indicate overheating. Ensure regular visual checks are part of your maintenance routine.

Solutions to Overheating in Electrical Panels

1. Tighten and Maintain Electrical Connections

Schedule regular maintenance to tighten terminals and busbar connections. Apply proper torque settings using calibrated tools to avoid over- or under-tightening.

2. Balance and Distribute Loads

Ensure that the load across phases is balanced. Uneven distribution causes one phase to overwork, which leads to overheating and inefficiency.

3. Upgrade Panel Capacity

If the electrical demand exceeds the panel’s rated capacity, consider upgrading to a higher-rated panel or adding sub-panels to spread the load.

4. Enhance Cooling and Ventilation

· Install forced ventilation systems like exhaust fans or panel coolers.

· Use heat exchangers or air conditioners in environments with high ambient temperatures.

· Ensure adequate spacing between panels and walls for natural convection.

5. Use Appropriately Rated Components

All breakers, fuses, contactors, and wiring must match the system’s voltage and current ratings. Derate components appropriately if operating in high-temperature environments.

6. Install Thermal Sensors or Smart Monitoring

Modern panels can be equipped with thermal sensors that provide real-time data to a building management system (BMS) or SCADA. This allows predictive maintenance before issues escalate.

Preventive Measures and Best Practices

· Design with Expansion in Mind: Avoid loading a panel to its full capacity. Always leave a 20–30% margin for future growth and safety.

· Implement a Routine Maintenance Schedule: Quarterly or bi-annual inspections reduce the risk of unexpected failures.

· Train Maintenance Personnel: Staff should be equipped to detect early signs of thermal distress and follow lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures.

· Keep Panels Clean and Sealed: Use gasketed enclosures in dusty environments and clean panels regularly to prevent dust build-up.

Conclusion

Overheating in electrical panels is a preventable issue that, if neglected, can have severe consequences. By adopting systematic inspection routines, upgrading infrastructure as needed, and leveraging modern monitoring technologies, businesses and facility managers can safeguard both equipment and personnel. The key is proactive action: identify, analyze, correct, and prevent — the four pillars of managing thermal risk in electrical systems.

[usafphantom2]

This story reminds me of a movie I heard about when my Dad was still flying the SR-71 called “The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!

In 1977, Buz Carpenter and John Murphy’s TDY at Mildenhall, United Kingdom, was extended to support the air tattoo celebration of the Queen's silver jubilee open house. This would be the first public display of an SR-71 since the record-setting speed record in 1974 from New York to London in under two hours

The SR-71 would be part of the static display but roped off so that people could not touch the aircraft. We were advised that, indeed, the Russians were coming. To prevent the Russians or anybody else from exploiting the display. No sensors were left on the aircraft, all fuel had been removed from the tanks, and the plane was heat-soaked to an ambient temperature to prevent infrared cameras from discovering the aircraft's secrets, internal structure, and support systems. We four crewmembers Buz Carpenter, John Murphy, JT Vida, and Tom Alison were standing around the aircraft, answering questions from the crowd when sure enough the Russians showed up in numbers. They took numerous regular and infrared photos. Some of the Russians even had hidden microscopes.

They were a site to see coming up like a convey of quails. It looks like the Salvation Army had outed them. Their dress sense was from a 1930s movie about American mobsters. They were wearing double-breasted suits made from a rougher cloth than one normally sees.

The head of the Soviet delegation is a former MiG-23 fighter pilot who’s quite relaxed and talkative in his demeanor. He asked John and me to drop in on Vladivostok ( the USSR) as a gesture of peaceful relationship.

We just quipped “please forward that request to our state department” 😆. Buz Carpenter

I found this story in Paul Crickmore‘s new book Lockheed Blackbird Beyond the Secret Missions, the missing chapters.

Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X

[rjzimmerman]

The Eddy Covariance (EC) system is a technique for measuring the fluxes of energy and gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor in eddies over the forest. These measurements indicate how much of these gases are absorbed or released by plants and soils through photosynthesis, and how much is rising into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming. Illustration by Jorge Alemán, STRI

Excerpt from this story from Smithsonian Magazine:

Just as humans inhale and exhale, forests absorb and release gases. There is a constant exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor (H2O) and other gases between the soils, vegetation and air, which scientists measure to understand how much is released into the atmosphere, and how much is absorbed by plants and trees through photosynthesis.

This gas exchange is measured by a system called eddy covariance.

An eddy is air that moves circularly due to turbulence (changes in speed and direction). At night, temperatures drop and the air is more stable, and during the day, when temperatures rise, the air moves more; these fluctuations between day and night create the wind we feel, and therefore eddies, which move in different directions, carrying different concentrations of CO2, H2O and other gases.

Covariance refers to simultaneously measuring the concentration of gases and the changes in the direction of the eddies, to understand how much carbon, water vapor, and energy are shifting and where, and how they change from moment to moment (fluxes). This is done with equipment called sonic anemometers, which measure wind speed and direction, and infrared CO2/H2O gas analyzers. That’s hundreds of measurements per minute in real time from these devices that detect how many molecules of these gases move through a defined area or volume, and how many rise into the atmosphere or are absorbed by forests.

"The Eddy Covariance (EC) system is a micro-meteorological technique used to directly monitor these exchanges between forests and the atmosphere, as these interactions are critical to understanding the role of forests within the global climate system," explains Matteo Detto, a researcher in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University, who installed the EC system at the AVA tower on Barro Colorado Island (BCI) in 2012.

"Carbon can be in many places, in the soil, in plants, in the atmosphere, and there's just no other way to track it, but this system does it," says Joe Wright, a staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI).

At STRI, research technician Alfonso Zambrano manages and verifies the data collection of the EC system. "BCI's EC system has been operating continuously for the last ten years," says Zambrano. "It's important because it's a localized way of calculating gas exchange over the forest. And there are very few of these systems in the tropics."

The first AVA tower was built in 2012 as part of the ForestGEO network's climate monitoring program; Detto, then an associate staff scientist at STRI, added the EC system sensors, and managed them until 2017.

"One of the big uncertainties in these models, which has prevented us from being able to predict the future of the climate more accurately," Wright continues, "is how tropical forests will respond to higher temperatures, global increases in atmospheric carbon, and changes in regional precipitation. How are they going to react? It’s guesswork. So, we use technology to provide data that helps fill those information gaps."

"The data generated by the tower in BCI is crucial to improve these ecosystem models, such as those developed by NGEE-Tropics, to predict how forests will behave in future climate scenarios," explains Detto. "And they rely on field observations like ours to calibrate and validate the models."

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

KAIST innovates mid-infrared photodetectors for exoplanet detection, expanding applications to environmental and medical fields​

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) utilizes mid-infrared spectroscopy to precisely analyze molecular components such as water vapor and sulfur dioxide in exoplanet atmospheres. The key to this analysis, where each molecule exhibits a unique spectral "fingerprint," lies in highly sensitive photodetector technology capable of measuring extremely weak light intensities. Recently, KAIST researchers have developed an innovative photodetector capable of detecting a broad range of mid-infrared spectra, garnering significant attention.

< Photo 1. (from the left) Ph.D. candidate Inki Kim (co-author), Professor SangHyeon Kim (corresponding author), Dr. Joonsup Shim (first author), and Dr. Jinha Lim (co-author) of KAIST School of Electrical Engineering. >

KAIST (represented by President Kwang-Hyung Lee) announced on the 27th of March that a research team led by Professor SangHyeon Kim from the School of Electrical Engineering has developed a mid-infrared photodetector that operates stably at room temperature, marking a major turning point for the commercialization of ultra-compact optical sensors.

The newly developed photodetector utilizes conventional silicon-based CMOS processes, enabling low-cost mass production while maintaining stable operation at room temperature. Notably, the research team successfully demonstrated the real-time detection of carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas using ultra-compact and ultra-thin optical sensors equipped with this photodetector, proving its potential for environmental monitoring and hazardous gas analysis.

Existing mid-infrared photodetectors generally require cooling systems due to high thermal noise at room temperature. These cooling systems increase the size and cost of equipment, making miniaturization and integration into portable devices challenging. Furthermore, conventional mid-infrared photodetectors are incompatible with silicon-based CMOS processes, limiting large-scale production and commercialization.

To address these limitations, the research team developed a waveguide-integrated photodetector using germanium (Ge), a Group IV element like silicon. This approach enables broad-spectrum mid-infrared detection while ensuring stable operation at room temperature.

IMAGE: (from the left) Ph.D. candidate Inki Kim (co-author), Professor SangHyeon Kim (corresponding author), Dr. Joonsup Shim (first author), and Dr. Jinha Lim (co-author) of KAIST School of Electrical Engineering. Credit KAIST 3D Integrated Opto-Electronic Device Laboratory

[mxstellatayte]

metal, nuts, bolts, and a hell of a lot of blaster residue (chapter 4.)

din djarin x female mechanic reader.

chapter 4 word count:

warnings/tags: graphic depictions of violence, reader is a mechanic, found family, din djarin speaks mando'a, din and reader are both very touch starved, i don't know how fictional money works, din djarin is a bottom, smut written and proofread by an asexual, din and reader have ptsd, canon is dead and i killed it, no use of y/n

Your breathing was hitched, irregular, and shallow. Were they speeding up? No, he must have been imagining things. His blasted audio processing unit must have gotten damaged in the explosion. No, your breaths were speeding up. It’s clear now. Your breaths are panicked, even- there’s no denying the fact that you have something bothering you, probably something from your past. This is not the time to ask that, though. This is the time to help. 

“Hey, listen to me. It’s okay. You’re going to be okay. The ship just needs some small repairs. Can you breathe for me?” His hands immediately reach for your upper arms, kneeling in front of you. His armor hits the floor of the ship with a resounding clang, but he couldn’t care less. His only focus is you, and with his infrared sensors engaged, he can easily tell that you’re rapidly overheating, her cheeks, arms, and chest fiery red with blood flow and open capillaries. 

You breathe, deep yet labored, and he can hear you try to fill your lungs fully before you groan, a sound so clearly loud, pained, and unfiltered, your knees giving out as you fall next to him, gripping your ribs with your right hand, your left still bandaged from elbow to lower forearm. Din can’t help but wonder, even if for a fraction of an instant, if he could make you make those sounds out of pleasure rather than pain before rapidly pushing the thought out of his mind. She’s injured, you horny fuck. Stop thinking with your dick and think with your brain. You scoot backwards until your back hits the half wall of drawers supporting his sleeping mat, letting your head fall backwards, and Mando does the same, sitting to your right. 

“Maker, that hurts like a bitch,” you say, your breaths still ragged but slightly more even. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Din says, brushing it off. Why isn’t she thinking about herself, for Maker’s sake?  “Are you?”

“I will be.” You hesitate for a moment, the infrared silhouette of your body shifting, your head lifting up slightly. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re shaking.” It’s only then that Din realizes he’s placed his left hand on your right knee, a previous action that went completely unnoticed by his conscience. “And be honest,” you add. “No lies.”

“Seriously, I’ll be okay. You just… your heart is racing, your body temperature is way too high to be normal, and your muscles are super tense-” Din cuts himself off. If his… life experience… had taught him anything, it was the biological human female body’s reaction to arousal. But there was no way that you, a woman who was so unapologetically herself and who could (and would) make his whole day turn around simply by smiling and waving at him, all the while he hid behind a metal mask and wall of armor, could possibly be attracted to him like that. Right?

A sigh and slight laugh draws his attention back to you. “Yeah, I guess it is. But let me ask you a question, too. Have you ever considered that I might feel the same way about you?” Din’s heart nearly stops. Did you really just say that? Are his auditory processors going fritzy again? “Because I do,” you continue, your voice coy and intriguing in all the right ways to make Din’s head spin and his imagination run wild as you hoist yourself up and onto his lap with a quiet groan, settling down high on his big thighs. Your arms come up to rest on his armored shoulders as you continue speaking, seemingly absentmindedly. “And I’ve been wondering for an awfully long time what it would be like to kiss you. But since your Creed won’t let that happen, then I guess I’ll have to opt for other ways to feel you. If that’s okay with you, of course.”

Din can barely think. Where was this sudden boldness from? Had it always been there, creeping into comments shared in passing and in conversation or was it new, something foreign and unexplored? Every cell in his body is screaming at him to grab her and take off his helmet and kiss you so hard that you don’t even feel the pain of your injuries, but his mind knows better. The Creed… if the Armorer found out that your hands were sliding down his shoulders and arms, making his pants grow tight under barely a fragment of your touch, and that he was even remotely thinking about removing his helmet for you, he’d have to search for the living waters on Mand’alor. 

What the Armorer didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, though… right?

It’s almost like you can read his mind, because your hands rest under the edges of his helmet and his attention snaps back to you once more. “Can I take your helmet off since it’s dark?” Din exhales, a shaky, nervous sound, and he can't tell if the tingling deep in his stomach is from anxiety or from eagerness. “You don’t have to say yes to any of this, you know.”

“No, I want to, I really do. I just haven’t taken my helmet off in front of someone, even in absolute darkness, since I took the Creed.” He’s embarrassed at how shaky his voice is and how his nerves are on fire everywhere you touch him. Maker, please don’t let her feel how hot my skin is right now. Anything but that. The only things he can concentrate on are how amazing you feel in his lap, your hips lined up with his and your thighs tight around his waist. 

“That’s okay,” you say, your voice so soft and gentle that Din thinks it might just be enough to melt the Armorer’s heart. “If you don’t want to take it off, I won’t be mad at you at all. It might even be more fun. Who knows?”

“You can take my helmet off,” Din says, his voice barely louder than a whisper. He can tell, with the infrared scanners, that your head tilts slightly and a smile you’re trying to smother is pulling at her lips.

“You sure?” you clarify. “You want me to take your helmet off?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

Is she serious? “There’s a lot of options of words that could follow that, you know. You’re going to have to be more specific.” The smile is gone now, replaced by a disappointed pout. 

“I need verbal confirmation that you’re okay with this, Mando.”

Oh. That’s what you wanted. Of the myriad of things you could’ve had him say, you chose for him to clarify his consent. As if he couldn’t fall any harder for you.

“Yes. I’m okay with you taking off my helmet.” The words leaving his mouth don’t even feel real, yet they’re clawing their way out of his throat, tumbling off of his tongue and prying past his lips before he can even think about stopping them. Your hands search their way up his body, slowly crawling up his arms, his shoulders, and his neck, until your fingers are gentle on his helmet, and Din can feel the warmth of your hands on the skin of his neck- it’s a heat so gentle he’s convinced it’s a trick of his mind at first. But then your knuckles graze his cheeks as you lift the heavy Beskar over his lips, his nose, and his eyes, and suddenly any semblance of sight he had left from the infrared scanners in his helmet is gone and he’s thrown into complete darkness. He feels the weight finally lift off of his head and, with it, releases a sigh, then swallows as much air as he can. 

“Hi, Mando,” you say, your voice perfect and pure and real. The warm tingles (an annoyingly stupid but wonderfully pleasant feeling that he can’t figure out if he loves or hates) bubbling low in his stomach, and his breath catches, because he’s finally hearing your voice with his own ears and not a slightly muffled version he hears through his helmet. It’s rough and gravelly, likely from the ash and dust thrown into the air from the bomb, but he wouldn’t change a thing if he had the chance. He can hear his helmet hit the ground oh-so-quietly, your weight shifting to his right slightly. When your voice lands in his ears, though, the giant breath he’d taken, catching the slightest scent of ash, dust and smoke likely left on her skin and woven into her hair, is stolen back from his lungs. 

“Fuck,” he whispers. “I want to kiss you so bad right now.”

“Hm, I bet you do. I can feel just how much you do, actually.” You punctuate your words with a wiggle of your hips on his, your clothed crotch hot against his own. Din groans deep in his throat, his head falling backwards, exposing his neck, and his hands finding purchase at your waist from where they sat next to his own thighs. “So… why don’t you?”

The real reason that he wants to tell you is humiliating, given the circumstances and current position the two of them are in. “Because I wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with it.” You laugh, full and unfiltered. 

“That’s so cute, baby. But given that I’m in your lap and can feel just how much you want to kiss me, I’d say that I’m okay with it.” You finish your sentence and Din can feel your breath ghosting over the bridge of his nose, your nose tickling the space between his eyebrows. Without being able to see, every little movement startles him, and he jumps slightly when he feels your breath on his lips, just the gentlest ghosting of a touch. Your breath smells like the berries you snacked on earlier when you thought he couldn’t see you, tangy and sweet. It’s a battle against his own will to keep his resolve and not lean up, kissing you like there’s no tomorrow. 

And then you kiss him.

It’s so perfect, a gentle press of your lips against his, and butterflies and that stupid tingling feeling that was simmering boils over, exploding throughout his lower abdomen. You pepper the smallest of kisses to his lips again, waiting for him to reciprocate, so he does. Din leans forward, his arms sliding farther around her waist and pulling you impossibly closer. His erection pushes hard against his pants, and when you shift forward, your hips rolling and wiggling to alleviate the stress on your back, Din’s lips fall apart in a high-pitched whine that’s just downright pathetic for being a high and mighty Mandalorian. You don’t waste a split second, pushing your tongue, wide and hot, through his lips and around his mouth, to which Din can only groan deeper and meet you in the middle. His hips grind up into yours, hard and needy as your hands reach back and weave their way through his hair. With a tug of your fingers, curling them into fists and tugging hard on Din’s hair, the tingling deep in his belly only increases in intensity tenfold. The kiss is hot and messy, a hurricane of tongue and lips and teeth, and he swears that he could stay there for hours, just sitting on the floor of his ship in darkness deeper than space, kissing you and feeling your body against his, but it’s over before Din even feels like it’s begun as you pull away. If the moan he’d let out earlier was pathetic, the groan and jump forward of his lips chasing yours is humiliating. He’s panting, his chest heaving as his pulse races in his ears and his cock throbs, almost painfully now. 

“Please.” That’s all he can get out as you dip your head down, kissing oh-so-gently at his neck and biting the sweetest of love bites up and down the left side of his neck. He angles his chin up to make your job a little bit easier, because the only thing his mind can compute is that you’re in his lap kissing him and he’s really hard. 

“Please what, baby? I need to know,” you say in between kisses and bites. 

“Please touch me. Or tell me- fuck- to touch myself. I just need something. Please.” He can feel your grin against his neck at his words and it only sends a new wave of tingles to his torso. You shift backwards again, the heat from your face leaving his neck, and he briefly mourns the loss before your ass shifts backwards, directly onto his dick, and he moans, high and whiny. “God, cyare, I need you.”

“Alright. You want me to touch you so badly?”

“Yes. Please, cyare. I’ll do whatever you tell me to.”

“Fine then.” You shift off of his legs and lift yourself up with a quiet groan. Din can hear you shuffling up, and he only realizes that you’re sitting above him until you speak again. “Come on, baby. Sit here.” You pull his shoulders slightly to the right until he’s in between your legs, your calves resting in between his arms and his torso and your thighs are surrounding his head. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to do everything I ask of you. And if you don’t, well, you won’t get to cum. Simple as that. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Din breathes out, his head falling onto your thigh. You pet his hair gently, a stark contrast to your words, but Din relishes any contact he has with your body. 

“Good boy,” you coo. “Take your pants off, baby. Touch yourself, but only a little bit. 

“Thank you.” Din frantically unbuckles his belt, shoving his pants down to his lower thighs as fast as he can and grips his dick, letting out a filthy groan that makes your thighs twitch. Oh, he thinks. She really does feel that way. “Can- can I do more?”

“Yes, baby. Get yourself off for me. And let me hear all those lovely sounds from you. Your voice is beautiful, Mando.” You weave your fingers through his hair as you speak, your nails scratching gently at his scalp causing a comforting tingle anywhere they roam. Din closes his eyes despite the darkness and lets himself lose it, letting his head go limp and fully sink into the pillows of your thighs as he slowly works his hand down his dick before bringing his hand up quickly to spit in it, then resuming his motions. Following your orders, he doesn’t hold back a single moan, whine or hum that his body begs him to make. 

“Fuck… it feels so good. I wish- ah- I wish it was you, cyare.”

“Do you?” you say, tilting your head as his arm works against your calf and his moans echo around the metal walls of the ship. He hums and nods against your thigh, letting out another high moan as you assume he’s found a good angle. “Tell me what you'd have me do to you.” 

Din groans, his cock twitching in his palm as he pictures you on your knees in front of him, your beautiful eyes tilted up at him as he forces his dick down your throat. “I’d… I’d have you suck me off in the cockpit of the ship. And I'd want to see my cum in your mouth before you swallowed it.” Your nails continue raking through his hair and you give the gentlest of tugs, pulling a delicious moan out of him and making his head jerk up from your thighs momentarily before settling back down. “After that I'd make you ride my thigh until you were begging to ride my cock instead- fuck, cyare. And if you'd let me, I’d cum inside of you and then have you warm me for the rest of the trip.”

You giggle lightly as Din continues jerking himself off, and if he had the choice, he’d listen to the sound of your voice as long as he possibly could. “Yeah? Is that all you’d do, baby?”

“No, I’d-” He doesn’t even finish his sentence before his whole body twitches, a loud moan forcing its way past his lips, ending in a high-pitched whine. “I’d kiss you all over your pretty face, then leave hickeys everywhere only I can see. So that way- ngahh-” He pauses again, taking a deep breath as you tug lightly on his hair. “So that way you’d remember exactly who made you feel so good.”

“That sounds like a lot of fun to me, baby,” you coo, and Din continues moaning, moving his hand up and down his cock. His sounds are getting whinier, more frequent and increasingly desperate, and you get the feeling he’s nearing his edge. “Are you getting close, baby? Do you need to cum?” He nods desperately between your thighs, and his mind briefly wanders what would happen if he flipped around, pulled your pants down your thighs, and buried his face in your cunt, bringing you to orgasm after orgasm. He can only imagine what it would be like to eat you out, his tongue making your back arch as he found the most sensitive places on your body without hesitation. Another rush of warmth runs straight to his cock, and Din swears he could cum right then and there. His hand speeds up, and you giggle in response again, another tug to his hair a perfect mix of pain and pleasure. “Use your words, Mando.”

“I need to cum- ah- please, just let me cum,” he begs, and he relishes in the feeling of your thighs tightening the slightest bit around his head. An extra tight pull of your fingers through his hair makes his head tilt back and his back arch off of the wall he’s sitting against, letting out the filthiest yet most beautiful moan you’ve ever heard. It’s borderline pornographic, but you can’t seem to get enough of it. The heat between your thighs is nearly blistering, but he can’t tell if it’s because he’s right by your core or if it’s because he’s sweating so much from being so pent up that he can feel fuzz clouding the sides of his head. Either way, it’s a feeling both of you can’t seem to get enough of. 

“Go for it. Cum for me, little star. Let go.” 

“Than- ah- thank you, baby~” Din’s plea is cut off with a whine as hand slows down, his hips jerking and twitching as his orgasm hits him like a plasma blast. He moans your name over and over, little moans and whines sprinkled throughout. It’s quite possibly the best thing you’ve ever heard. You coax him through every last bit of his high, easing him through it as he whines, a few tears sliding down his cheeks at the overstimulation. “Nngh- too much, ah… feels s’ good.”

~~pov switch~~

“That’s it, honey. Just like that. Now, can you do something for me?” You feel him nod weakly between your legs, and you smile, petting over his tug-mussed hair gently. “Can you spin around so that you can eat me out?” He moves almost instantly, and you grin broadly even in the darkness. Before you know it, his hands, still slick with his cum, are fumbling with the button on your pants and is shucking them down your pants as fast as he can. You’re laughing into the darkness for a short moment before his lips are flicking through you, navigating the slick surely already coating his nose, lips and chin. Your head is thrown back with a moan, bliss filling your body and your abs twitching every time his nose bumps your clit. Din groans openly, not even taking a moment to breathe, just eating you out like a man starved. Your heart races in your ears, a screaming pulse nearly drowning out the echoes of moans you didn’t even realize you were breathing out. His tongue works miracles, finding your clit and working both gentle circles and firmer flicks across it, his fingers now gently pushing inside of you. Fire builds deep in your tummy and your pelvic muscles clench around his fingers as he curves them perfectly, his fingers a perfect balance of rough and calloused and gentle and tender. “Nngh, fuck, Mando, fuckfuckfuck-” Your curses are cut off in a string of whines and moans as you cum hard. With your thighs squeezed tight around Mando’s head and his lips locked tight around your clit, fingers deep inside of you, your eyes go fuzzy at the edges and you swear you feel a tear or two slide down your cheek as your head is thrown back in pleasure. You’re not sure how much time passes, Mando gently coaxing you through what might be the best orgasm of your life, but when you return to life, you let out a little giggle, then realize that the ship still has to be fixed. 

“Hey, Mando?”

“Hmm?” You can’t help but crack a smile at how dazed and fucked out he sounds. He probably looks the part, too, and if you’re being honest with yourself, you probably look about the same.

“Thank you, star. That was…” you huff out a breath, reaching your hand up to brush a lock of hair out of your eyes. “Amazing. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we really have to fix the ship.” Mando whines, leaning his chin against your thigh. You laugh at the juxtaposition- not long ago, he was eating you out and making you cum on his face harder than you ever had before, and now, he was whining and acting like a sad puppy when you said you had to do productive adult things. You can feel the scruff on his jaw mixed with your slick where his chin rests, and you reach down to rake your fingers through his hair, although much more gently this time. “Come on, we don’t want the ship to get into any worse shape than she already is. Get up, baby.” Mando climbs off of you with a huff, cool air hitting your still very sensitive core and making you struggle to stifle a gasp at the feeling. 

“Fine.” You can hear him as you pull your pants back up your legs, fumbling around for his helmet. The two of you seem to move on from the events in silent agreement, leaving what could barely even be called a quickie behind you as if there wasn't painfully obvious unresolved sexual tension that had been sparked months before. “My helmet’s back on, so you can turn on your lantern.” A tight, sad sinking feeling replaces the bliss you had been experiencing, and you wipe yourself down with a towel Mando’s chucked at you before fumbling around for your lantern. 

It’s fine. You’ll figure it out later. For now, you just have to focus on fixing the ship, which is the thing you’re best at. Just do that. Your brain nags at you, telling you to leave it in the past, and, to be fair, you try to. You try really hard. Despite your efforts, though, as your hands are fiddling with wiring and circuit boards and wiping grease off onto your pants, your mind replays the sounds of Mando’s sweet moans echoing off of the walls in the ship, the feeling of his body squirming under your thighs, the way his tongue mapped out every inch of your core and was able to make you cum with seemingly no effort… You huff, straightening your back and stretching out the cricks in your neck from being hunched over the piping you’re working on. Your left leg aches from being stretched out for so long, so you switch it with your right, bringing your left heel to your inner thigh and stretching your right leg out to the side. Hypermobility, the Empire called it. Yet another reason why you were “a shining candidate” to work labor jobs. Little did they know that you would find a love and talent for mechanic work just a few months in. 

You huff a gust of air upward, trying to get an annoyingly insistent lock of hair out of your eyes. Your grit-coated fingers fiddle with a fuse, a little thing a little longer and wider than your thumb and something that costs way too many credits for being such a disposable thing, finally clicks into place. “By the Maker, finally,” you groan, letting your last fuck fly away. You set the circuit back into place, fuse secured, and close the piping. As you stand, your muscles scream in protest, begging for mercy as you steady yourself. The pathetic light from your lantern flickers sadly, and you wind the crank on the side to give it just enough juice to last you until the main power systems reboot. It’s been about an hour since you and Mando started fixing up the ship, and that was the last thing you had to do. Your brain almost doesn’t register the feeling of the ladder on your hand, the rungs digging into the soles of your boots, the clicks of the buttons to reboot the ship’s primary power system, or the blinking lights of the reboot. You run on autopilot, telling Mando that you can stay in the cockpit so he can sleep while you finish your journey.

It’s only when you hear Grogu coo quietly and feel him tug on the leg of your pants, making grabby hands up at you when you look down at him, that you accept you won’t be able to just forget what had happened. 

You lean down to pick him up and set him in your lap, kicking your feet up onto an empty space on the dashboard. “I’m an idiot, aren’t I, kid?” Grogu looks up at you, sitting down on your knees. “I mean, come on. My hangar is gone, everything I’ve ever really had is in a duffel bag, and I’m in an ancient ship in the middle of nowhere, talking to a fifty-year-old baby as if he’s my therapist, and I don’t want to admit to myself that I’m back to square one. It’s like I just defected again.” Your hands rub at your eyes, and Grogu tilts his head, then pats your knee sympathetically. You can’t help but smile a bit at the sweet gesture, but it seems like sleep is about to hit the kid like a plasma blast, so you pat your stomach as an invitation. “C’mere. Get some sleep.” He waddles over to you, lays his head down on your tummy, and passes out almost immediately. With everything that’s happened, your body hasn’t had a chance to re-regulate itself, and as you’re watching the blue and white lights swirl by in hyperspace, you slowly drift off, too. 

[sunsolii]

Napoleon's Marshals and their Birthstones FINAL part

This is the third and final part of the birthstone saga where I'll cover the remaining four birthstones and their marshals (plus two other non-marshals but I wanted to include anyway). I can't believe I spent half of my winter break researching shiny rocks XD

Part 1 and Part 2 are avaliable here

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*Mineraloid: A mineral-like object that does NOT contain a crystalline structure.

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Sapphire (September)

Marshals- N/A (Honorable mentions: Eugène de Beauharnais & Jean-Andoche Junot)

Type: Mineral

Group: Oxide (Al₂O₃)

Color: Blue, yellow, green, purple

Cleavage: Poor

Fracture: Conchoidal to splintery

Mohs Scale: 9

Luster: Vitreous

Streak: Colorless

Fun Facts: Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum and usually comes in the color blue, but it can also come in colors such as yellow, green, and even purple. Its blue hue is due to traces of iron and titanium in its crystal structure. Sapphires, along with the other cardinal gemstones, have a rich history and cultural significance. In ancient Persia and Greece, it was believed that sapphires possessed divine powers and were used in crowns and jewelry of kings and queens. In today’s age, sapphires are used in different objects such as luxury watches, LED lights, and infrared sensor windows used in military aircraft because of their durability (having a hardness of 9, making it the second hardest mineral other than a diamond) and a high melting point of about 3704°F or 2040 °C.

Opal (October)

Marshals- Augereau, Lefebvre, and Grouchy

Type: Mineraloid*

Group: (Hydrated) Silica (SiO₂·nH₂O)

Color: Colorless, white, yellow, blue, green, black, brow, pink

Cleavage: None

Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven

Mohs Scale: 5.5-6

Luster: Waxy

Streak: White

Fun Fact: Opals are formed when water carries pieces of silica inside an open rock or sediment, often found near volcanoes or groundwater. As time passes, the water inside the rock will evaporate, leaving the silica to solidify inside the host rock, which, under specific temperatures and pressure, will begin to form the opal. There are four types of opals: precious, common, matrix, and synthetic opals. Precious opals exhibit what is known as “opalescence,” which happens due to the arrangement of silica inside the opal, creating an array of colorful hues when put under light. Common opals do not possess opalescence; they are either opaque or translucent with one main color present. Matrix opals are opals embedded in their host rock during their formation, and synthetic opals are lab-grown opals that imitate the colorful look of natural opals.

Topaz (November)

Marshals- Berthier and Macdonald

Type: Mineral

Group: Silicate (Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂)

Color: Colorless, blue, brown, yellow if impurities are present

Cleavage: Basal (perfect)

Fracture: Subconchoidal to uneven

Mohs Scale: 8

Luster: Vitreous or adamantine

Streak: White

Fun Fact: Topaz gets its name from the Greek word topazion, which refers to the Zabargad Island near the Red Sea, where peridot is also found. Topaz comes in different colors, but the most popular color is blue, the most common color found in jewelry stores [1]. Natural blue topaz is very rare, so to get the color blue, a colorless or pale yellow topaz is heated or irradiated using gamma radiation. Subatomic particles are shot through the topaz at high speeds, which knocks some of the electrons out of orbit, causing the light that travels through the crystal to change and the amount of light absorbed. Due to the color wavelength changing, the human eye perceived the topaz as blue [2]. 

Turquoise (December)

Marshals- Perrin and Sérurier

Type: Mineral

Group: Phospate (CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O)

Color: Turquoise, blue, blue-green

Cleavage: Perfect but rarely seen

Fracture: Conchoidal

Mohs Scale: 5-6

Luster: Waxy or dull

Streak: Blue or white

Fun Fact: Turquoise is another mineral that contains water in its structure; this comes in the form of a hydrated phosphate of either copper or aluminum. Turquoise was one of the first gemstones to be mined, with some jewelry dating back to around 5000 BCE. Even though it has been used in jewelry for thousands of years, its value has decreased due to the treatments and synthetic turquoise appearing more often in the market. Even though they are minerals, well-formed crystals are rarely found on their own, with most turquoise growing closely packed around another mineral, causing it to have a higher durability [3]. Due to its lower hardness level, caring for any turquoise jewelry is important, and it is recommended not to use it while doing any sort of manual labor as the gemstone can be easily damaged. Jewelry designers place a durable bezel around the gem to prevent scratches and protect it. However, the bezel can only protect the gemstone to a limited degree since it is still exposed to open air. It is also recommended not to get the gemstone wet as it can absorb liquids due to its low porosity, which can alter its color [4].

--------------------------------------------------------------

Sources:

Sapphire: MAT, M. (2023, April 24). Sapphire: Properties, formation, occurrence " Geology science. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/gemstone/sapphire/?amp

Opal: MAT, M. (2023, September 29). Opal : Properties, formation, uses and deposits " geology science. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/gemstone/opal/?amp

Topaz: [1] King, H. M. (n.d.). Blue topaz. Geology. https://geology.com/gemstones/blue-topaz/#treatment

[2] MAT, M. (2023, August 26). Topaz : Gemstone: Properties, formation, occurrence, uses. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/minerals/topaz/?amp

Turquoise: [3] MAT, M. (2023, April 23). Turquoise: Mineral properties, uses and occurrence. Geology Science. https://geologyscience.com/gemstone/turquoise/?amp

[4] King, H. M. (n.d.-b). Turquoise. geology. https://geology.com/minerals/turquoise.shtml

[talopeiros]

Learning to Smelt - 1

I've been wanting to talk about this for a while. Last year, I wanted to pick up smelting. It seemed fun, and felt right up my field in the realm of making things. I did all the research, got the equipment and earlier this year I finally managed to start! My goal is, once I'm comfortable enough to do it solo (since I had help from my insane uncle during my training adventure) to have it livestreamed and smelt things on request! Honestly at this point I reckon my skills have advanced to the point of almost competence (huzzah!) Nonetheless I want to post some stuff showing the process, just in case anyone's curious!

First off, I made an AGGREGIOUS error when it came to choosing the smelter brand. The one I bought didn't have a connector that worked with Australian Gas tanks, only US ones. I was very luck my uncle had a bunch of spare fittings/hoses lying around otherwise it would've been impossible to do anything from the start. Funnily enough too, despite it eventually getting to +1000 C temperatures, it didn't need that much fuel overall! Only had to slightly open the valves with one full rotation on the gas tank. I guess that's by design, since the whole idea is keep heat in (this just in, local hoplite PNGTuber discovers how heat works!) Also, fun fact! Don't buy a shitty $50 temperature gun that says it can get to 1000+ C and expect it to do so! So many infrared sensors are so pricey and there was no way in tartarus that I would use that kinda money on a glorified nerf gun but then it turns out the cheap one I got was incapable of reading anything beyond 400 C. Fortunately you can just eyeball it when it comes to smelting using this simple rule! If metal = solid: Wait If metal = liquid: Congratulations, you've done it!

Have to make sure it's done in a well-ventilated area too. Doubly so if you're melting brass since that garbage can burn and make zinc oxide which is NOT GOOD. First time I melted stuff was just done to make sure I knew what I was doing, not to cast anything. All I did was melt down brass and copper separately to make small ingots.

(btw if you ever plan to make casted finery, don't bother with a specific ingot mold, those things are pricey. Just get a cast iron muffin tray w/o the teflon on it or something similar. You can make a lot more that way and they're more likely to fit in the crucible if you want to re-melt). Also another piece of advice: DON'T OVERLOAD THE CRUCIBLE. My uncle wanted us to melt down all the copper we had (which was a lot, I had been going to town on the neighbourhoods wiring/plumbing in preparation for this) since "it was more energy efficient to smelt more instead of letting it cool down!" While technically true, a crucible full of copper is VERY HEAVY and picking that thing up with crucible tongs is gonna be a legendary struggle. We did end up spilling a bit, fortunately it didn't go anywhere. The vid attached to this post shows it: A crucible full of copper and regret for our lack of forethought. Following day I did try to cast one thing: My channel emblem as a medallion. I poured molten copper into an open sand mold and well, you be the judge:

Still, twas a good first go! Thanks to the ingot molder we used the cast metal in it's default form comes out in a style akin to that of a paperweight.

I'll be posting details on the second and third smelt soon, so stay tuned!

[thermomtrefr]

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[vitalspace]

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

OverviewLaunch Date: December 25, 2021

Deployment Location: Lagrange Point 2 (L2), approximately 1.5 million kilometers (about 1 million miles) from Earth

Primary Mission: To explore the origins of the universe, from the Big Bang to the formation of planetary systems capable of supporting life.

Key Advancements and Technologies

Large Mirror Size

Primary Mirror: The JWST features a 6.5-meter (21.3 feet) primary mirror, composed of 18 hexagonal segments made of beryllium coated with gold. This is significantly larger than the Hubble Space Telescope’s 2.4-meter (7.9 feet) mirror, allowing JWST to collect more light and see fainter objects.

Infrared Observation

Wavelength Range: JWST is primarily an infrared telescope, covering wavelengths from 0.6 to 28.5 micrometers. This allows it to peer through dust clouds and observe objects that are too faint or too cool to be seen in visible light, such as the first galaxies, star-forming regions, and exoplanets.

Advantage: Infrared observation is crucial for studying the early universe, as light from the first stars and galaxies is redshifted into the infrared spectrum.

Sunshield

Design: JWST is equipped with a five-layer sunshield the size of a tennis court. This sunshield protects the telescope from the Sun’s heat, allowing its instruments to operate at extremely low temperatures necessary for infrared observation.

Function: The sunshield keeps the telescope’s instruments at around -233 degrees Celsius (-388 degrees Fahrenheit).

Advanced Instruments

Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam): Captures detailed images in the near-infrared range.

Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec): Capable of observing 100 objects simultaneously in the near-infrared.

Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI): Extends JWST’s capabilities into the mid-infrared range.

Fine Guidance Sensor/Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (FGS/NIRISS): Ensures precise pointing and supports exoplanet studies.

Major Scientific Goals

Observing the First Galaxies and Stars

JWST aims to look back over 13.5 billion years to observe the first galaxies and stars that formed after the Big Bang. By studying these early structures, scientists hope to understand the processes that led to galaxy formation and evolution.

Studying the Formation of Stars and Planets

The telescope will peer into dense clouds of gas and dust where stars and planetary systems are forming. This will provide insights into the birth of stars and the development of protoplanetary disks.

Examining Exoplanets and their Atmospheres

JWST will analyze the atmospheres of exoplanets in unprecedented detail, searching for signs of habitability and potential biomarkers. This includes studying the atmospheric composition, weather patterns, and surface conditions of distant worlds.

Understanding the Evolution of Our Solar SystemThe telescope will study objects within our solar system, such as comets, asteroids, and the outer planets, to gain a better understanding of its formation and evolution.

Impacts and Future Prospects

Enhanced Observational Capabilities: The JWST represents a significant leap in our ability to observe the universe. Its advanced technology allows us to see deeper into space and time than ever before, offering potential discoveries that could reshape our understanding of the cosmos.

Complementary to Hubble: While the Hubble Space Telescope has primarily focused on visible and ultraviolet light, JWST’s infrared capabilities complement Hubble’s observations, providing a more complete picture of astronomical phenomena.

Inspiration for Future Missions: The success and innovations of JWST pave the way for future space telescopes and astronomical instruments. Its design and technology will inform the development of subsequent missions, including those focused on even longer wavelengths or different scientific goals.

Conclusion

The James Webb Space Telescope is a monumental advancement in space astronomy, equipped with cutting-edge technology to explore the universe’s most fundamental questions. Its ability to observe in the infrared spectrum, coupled with its large mirror and sophisticated instruments, makes it a powerful tool for unlocking the mysteries of the cosmos. As it continues to deliver groundbreaking discoveries, JWST will significantly expand our knowledge and inspire future generations of astronomical research.

[roseaesynstylae]

So, I have The New Essential Guide to Droids, which is a Legends book about, as the title says, droids. There's some interesting information on GNK droids, information that I'm not sure is canon anymore but could be useful for anyone wanting to write about Gonky. Sooooo... Here are some quotes, occasionally with commentary.

"Most of a power droid's body consists of its internal fusion generator. Multiple layers of armor and safety shutdowns help protect the generator from an accidental breach. Internal cooling fluid channels regulate the temperature of the generator and, in emergencies, small relief valves along the chassis and on the bases of both feet can bleed off vaporizing coolant fluid as steam."

"The power droid lacks a recognizable face. The few buttons and gadgets in its upper panel include a visual sensor and an acoustic signaler capable of droid languages only. A power port on the front panel can accommodate standard plugs, while a larger port on the side of most models fits on industrial-sized hookups. The power droid has a single, delicate arm, which is normally hidden behind a tiny portal."

Gonky seems to have a face to me, but that might just be my mind playing tricks on me.

"Each power droid comes with a systems diagnostic package that includes a spectrometer, an X-ray scanner, an infrared scanner, and a sonar-pulse emitter. The droid uses these devices to scan the equipment it has been asked to service for leaks and hairline cracks. If its diagnosis falls outside its preprogrammed red-line limits, the droid will refuse to fuel the item. This last personality trait has given droids a reputation for stubbornness."

"Stubbornness and stupidity, that is. If told to walk in a straight line, power droids will march off a precipice, their feet pumping in midair as they fall to their destruction."

Is Gonky an unusually smart example of a power droid or do power droids just play dumb a lot? Gonky seems pretty smart, following Omega's command to hide and going along with the Bad Batch's insanity.

"It's nearly impossible to crack the shell of a power droid -- but if the shell is for some reason pierced, the generator explodes with stunning force."

Is it possible that Gonky is the most durable member of the Bad Batch? Food for thought.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

'Self-healing' glass: Study shows gamma radiation induces defects that are healed at room temperature

Self-healing glass may sound like a science fiction concept, but new research from the University of Central Florida demonstrates it's much closer to reality. In a new study published in the journal Materials Research Society Bulletin, UCF College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL) Pegasus Professor Kathleen Richardson and colleagues from Clemson University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studied the incredible self-healing capabilities of a specialized chalcogenide glass after it was exposed to gamma radiation. Chalcogenide glasses are comprised of chalcogen elements—sulfur, selenium, and tellurium—alloyed with elements like germanium or arsenic to create optical glass materials that may be applied to sensors or infrared lenses.

Read more.