Not at all B. But a good pun. Just one neurotransmitter talking to an analog. Not hard to find the Salvinorin A structure, but I had this visual in mind, and the Beatles never did anything for Salvia to my admittedly limited knowledge on such things, so I had to revert to old tried and true.
Badda Boom! That is one of your better puns, mein herr. I appreciate that this image must have been a bit of a disappointment since you were no doubt salviateing for something more directly regarding the leaf.
Oh, it's a great image, Pliny. I love it. Even if I lacked the familiarity with the molecules to get the pun straight off. Those diamonds seem off, though... their refractive index is too low, too much read-through from the side... they're CZ.
Appropriate synthetic gem, Pliny. CZ is produced by a high temperature process called a "skull melt" and that's pretty much how I feel trying to out-pun you.
An inclusion is such a blanket term. It's any imperfection, so a crack, an embedded crystal of foreign mineral, anything 'included' in the stone that keeps it from being perfectly clear is an inclusion. CZ is produced in such a way that leaves large sections of the resultant crystal virtually free of inclusions, so most CZ is relatively "flawless." Inclusions are present in natural and synthetic gemstones, but they're different kinds of inclusions. In fact, that's one of the major ways to separate a natural stone from a synthetic. Knowing the many kinds of inclusions and learning which are found in natural stones and which are not.
Probably the most common inclusion is a diamond is a 'feather.' An internal stress fracture that occurred during the crystallization process. Looks like a little shiny feather floating in the stone.
Are most of the inclusions in real diamonds just graphite or something else? Plus is flawless an absolute term or just a relative one at a particular magnification?
Actually graphite is very rare. Most black inclusions are black diamond within a clear diamond. Most white inclusions are again, diamond within diamond, visible due to the reflectivity of the interface between the two crystals. There are many minerals that form inclusions in diamond. I've seen lovely red garnet crystals trapped in diamond, green olivine (peridot) crystals, and a bunch of others. Also lovely octahedral diamond crystals as well, trapped in a clear diamond. "Flawless" means no visible inclusions whatsoever, to a trained eye, under a 10X corrected lens (achromatic and aplanatic) So same diamond under 20X, you may see flaws. There is also "Internally Flawless" which can have external blemishes like a slight scratch, which is not an inclusion since it's on the surface. Both grades are considered "flawless."
I get the LSD part, but what's the deal with the two molecules? Is it too obvious for me to get it.
ReplyDeleteOne is LSD and the other is dopamine
ReplyDeleteAre you callin' me a dopamine? Oh yeah? Well, you're a dunceamide!
ReplyDeleteI guess it was hard to find the molecule for salvinorin A...
So you're speaking in a sort-of ergot argot?
ReplyDeleteNot at all B. But a good pun. Just one neurotransmitter talking to an analog. Not hard to find the Salvinorin A structure, but I had this visual in mind, and the Beatles never did anything for Salvia to my admittedly limited knowledge on such things, so I had to revert to old tried and true.
ReplyDeleteSo Lucy gets mad at her friend and says "Die, Ethyl" and much hilarity ensues...
ReplyDeleteYou have to admit that the image is hypnotic...
ReplyDeleteWhat's your comedic license number?
ReplyDeleteBadda Boom! That is one of your better puns, mein herr.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that this image must have been a bit of a disappointment since you were no doubt salviateing for something more directly regarding the leaf.
(GROAN!)
DeleteOh, it's a great image, Pliny. I love it. Even if I lacked the familiarity with the molecules to get the pun straight off.
ReplyDeleteThose diamonds seem off, though... their refractive index is too low, too much read-through from the side... they're CZ.
What's your comedic license number?
ReplyDeleteIt's been suspended for some time but you already knew that ;)
I will take your expert word on the diamond refractive challenge. But that was no acident since such drugs can lead to CZures...
ReplyDeleteAppropriate synthetic gem, Pliny. CZ is produced by a high temperature process called a "skull melt" and that's pretty much how I feel trying to out-pun you.
ReplyDeleteSerious question (really) - do CZ's have any inclusions? Or is that something that is just something seen in naturally occurring gems?
ReplyDeleteAn inclusion is such a blanket term. It's any imperfection, so a crack, an embedded crystal of foreign mineral, anything 'included' in the stone that keeps it from being perfectly clear is an inclusion. CZ is produced in such a way that leaves large sections of the resultant crystal virtually free of inclusions, so most CZ is relatively "flawless." Inclusions are present in natural and synthetic gemstones, but they're different kinds of inclusions. In fact, that's one of the major ways to separate a natural stone from a synthetic. Knowing the many kinds of inclusions and learning which are found in natural stones and which are not.
ReplyDeleteProbably the most common inclusion is a diamond is a 'feather.' An internal stress fracture that occurred during the crystallization process. Looks like a little shiny feather floating in the stone.
DeleteAre most of the inclusions in real diamonds just graphite or something else? Plus is flawless an absolute term or just a relative one at a particular magnification?
ReplyDeleteActually graphite is very rare. Most black inclusions are black diamond within a clear diamond. Most white inclusions are again, diamond within diamond, visible due to the reflectivity of the interface between the two crystals. There are many minerals that form inclusions in diamond. I've seen lovely red garnet crystals trapped in diamond, green olivine (peridot) crystals, and a bunch of others. Also lovely octahedral diamond crystals as well, trapped in a clear diamond.
ReplyDelete"Flawless" means no visible inclusions whatsoever, to a trained eye, under a 10X corrected lens (achromatic and aplanatic) So same diamond under 20X, you may see flaws. There is also "Internally Flawless" which can have external blemishes like a slight scratch, which is not an inclusion since it's on the surface. Both grades are considered "flawless."
You planning on popping the question to someone soon, Pliny?
ReplyDeleteNo I'm still fortunate to be in the company of the fabulous Mrs Pliny but I am starting to save for something for her on our 25th!
DeleteVery cool. Nice. Whenever you're shopping for gems, feel free to ask me anything.
DeleteThx B I will.
DeleteThis is pretty good:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/search?q=diamond+inclusions&client=firefox-a&hs=wub&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nvCcUvOSK9LUoATB0YHoBw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=797&bih=379
I used to do digital photomicrographs like those a lot... I'd include them in an appraisal.
ReplyDelete