Why is glass transparent? - Mark Miodownik

If you look through your glasses, binoculars or a window, you see the world on the other side. How is it that something so solid can be so invisible? Mark Miodownik melts the scientific secret behind amorphous solids.

Lesson by Mark Miodownik, animation by Provincia Studio.

[armi]

I remember asking this to a teacher many years ago but they couldn't answer, glad I finally got an answer.

[canberk]

Happiness is like a glass. It's there, but you won't know until it's broken.

[Ral]

Wow, the question is not _"Why is glass transparent?"_ more than _"Why is not everything else transparent?"_ Neat, though.

#TedEd   #science   #glass

[fisharepeopletoo]

"Featureless and invisible" man i never knew me and glass had so much in common

[sapphyrus]

It feels all the more incredible how certain plastics can be transparent, flexible, durable and lightweight at the same time!

[ChaseKelleh]

Best thing i took from this video: Glass protects you from UV light.
UPDATE: Normal glass only protects you from some of the UV light.

[tricksock]

that last sentence really made me think.

[danielmrk]

I've got a question. If you would shine an insane amount of light on a solid object, that isn't normally transparent, could you transfer enough energy to all of the electrons so they would all reach their maximum potential energy level, so they would not be able to absorb additional energy and the remaining energy would shine through the object making it transparent?

[Psycandy]

The Europeans had... wine, and developed glass as an inert means of storage - and it looked pretty. This led to windows, lenses, corrected vision, telescopes and more. The Chinese, on the other hand, were happy with their tea, in shellac cups, and the use of paper for lanterns and windows, so the glass revolution only happened later.

[robert_costello]

I hope you people realize how much your videos are appreciated. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for doing what you do. I will be making a donation to help advance your cause.

[thrdgamer]

What invention lets you see straight through a wall?


THE WINDOW

[ImErin.]

if glass protects from uv light, why are uv light bulbs made of glass?

[christinebeames]

I’ve often wondered how the ingredients for glass becomes invisible, at 76 I finally get it explained thank you

[devendraraj]

TED-ED is the only channel through which I get education, being a student, I get confused to study books or help others under the time period. Then, I get upset when people laugh at me for being unknowingly uneducated for surrounding, everyday items I use. Because, I don’t know their significance. Often feeling useless and non-featured, same as mirror, makes me emotional sometimes but I am overcoming with it, with this channel, with a confidence of ‘try to be at pinnacle’. Thank for all of it.

[kittujasthi]

Very simple and elegantly answered unlike how other youtube channels tend to complicate this.

[latimil]

I love this channel. For real, it's one of the few things that make believe that internet can be used for good. Congratulations to everyone involve in developing theses videos, you are changing the world, even if not everyone notice. 😀

[nosaucepotatochips]

That music at the end is always so oddly satisfying.. 😍

[funby]

3:50

"... featureless and invisible, we forget its even there"

My life story. I feel you glass 😭

[njqcucc]

i legit learned something i have been wondering for a while
tedx is one of the few channels that actually teach you stuff, with out it going in one ear and out the other

[Deathbysnakes]

Optical illusion at 2:30

Stare at the red ball in the middle at it will appear as though the lines on the far electron shell has disappeared