Category Archives: Did You Know?

THE TRIBOLOGY ZONE There is a film dimension beyond that which is known to common man. It is a dimension as vast as clearance space and as timeless as momentary. It is the middle ground between contact and hydrodynamic, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of Man’s fears and the summit…

The Butterfly Effect How a seemingly throwaway line on a resume led to a fulfilling career in tribology The downturn in employment opportunities over the past several years reminds me of the difficulties I faced upon graduating…the first time. There I was, freshly out of my school’s chemical engineering program and waiting to hear back…

Pining for the holidays Making the holidays ‘greener’ still takes trees. With the holiday season upon us, many people are shopping for a pine tree or wreath to decorate their homes. Certainly the downside of using living trees or branches over artificial plastic decorations is dealing with the needles, but many think the wonderful aroma…

When Failure Doesn't Stick The difference between success and disaster often is a matter of perspective. Have you ever thought about how many of today’s successes began as failures? I am not talking about successes like the light bulb, where Thomas Edison tried thousands of filament materials before finding Tungsten. I am talking about “successful…

Toss leads to oil boom History begins with an empty whiskey bottle—and a simple act. Whiskey containers play more than one role in the history of North American oil production. Readers who recall my May 2010 column, “The Barrel’s Boozy Beginnings,” about how the whiskey barrel inadvertently led to the bbl standard of measure for…

Three-Star Selection What fueled hockey’s iconic postgame ritual? FOR 75 YEARS HOCKEY FANS have enjoyed a postgame ritual where the three best players in the contest are recognized. This tradition is called the Three-Star Selection, but not many know its origin. Its history traces back to a handshake agreement between Toronto Maple Leafs owner Conn…