Born this date in 1842 was Lord James Dewar, who invented the vacuum/thermos flask. 10 facts about him and his invention.
Dewar was a scientist working in the field of cryogenics, the science of extreme cold. One of the things he’s famous for is being the first person to make liquid hydrogen, the coldest known substance at the time.
The problem with substances like liquid hydrogen is that they tend to evaporate pretty fast so if you want to do experiments with them you need a way of keeping them cold for as long as possible. It was in working to solve this problem that Dewar came up with the idea of a vacuum flask.
Having tried boxes insulated with Cork, hay and rolled up newspapers with little success, Dewar designed a double-walled Glass flask and removed the air from the space between them, creating a vacuum.
This worked much better, because a vacuum minimised heat transfer by conduction or convection. This is how a thermos flask works.
Dewar knew he’d invented something extremely useful to science. He was public spirited enough that he refused to slap a patent on his design, so anyone could make use of his vacuum flasks.
However, not everyone who caught on to the idea was as public spirited as Dewar. In 1904, German glass-blowers Reinhold Burger and Albert Aschenbrenner, discovered that it could be used to keep cold drinks cold and warm drinks warm. They invented a more robust flask design, which was suited for everyday use, and they did slap a patent on it and gave it the trademark name Thermos, which is why they are often referred to as thermos flasks today. Dewar tried to retrospectively claim the rights to his invention, but lost.
They come in very handy in space. In the extreme conditions of space, maintaining temperature is crucial, so astronauts use them to keep their food hot or cool. The concept also helps them get up into space in the first place: space rockets are fuelled by super-cooled gases stored in modern Dewar vessels which can keep liquids cold for nearly three years.
The temperature thing isn’t the only advantage of a thermos flask. Keeping food or beverages hot can prevent the growth of harmful Bacteria, so they’re good for storing food for long outdoor expeditions.
The term "thermos" comes from the Greek word "therme," meaning heat.
Nowadays, you can even but “smart” thermos flasks which can track your hydration levels and warn you when you need to drink water.
Beta
(Combat Team Series #2)
Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?
Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.
Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream.
Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.
Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.
Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.
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