Modern Glasses at the Science Museum

Abstract

AN Exhibition of Modern Technical and Artistic Glasses at the Science Museum, South Kensington, to remain open until the end of the year, was formally opened on Oct. 21 by Sir Richard Gregory (see NATURE, Oct. 24, p. 697). The organisers, who represent the Society of Glass Technology and the Glass Research Delegacy of the University of Sheffield, have endeavoured in this exhibition to illustrate the more striking advances arising from scientific studies in glass technology during the past fifteen years. In doing so, it has been necessary, in view of the limitations of space, to make a selection of the subjects which are comprised within the term ‘glass technology’ and a further choice of material even in those subjects represented. Thus, in the main, the problems involved in the manufacture of glasses in modern times which have given rise to many important researches, such as the solution of gases in molten glasses, and the diffusion and flow of viscous liquids at high temperatures, receive no attention, and it has not been found possible to find space for exhibits illustrating researches on raw materials, on the special characteristics of refractory materials required for various manufacturing conditions, and the applications of glasses to the many types of scientific apparatus.