dailySTEM Chris Woods

@RonDeSantis Ron, gotta disagree here. Sandlot is the best baseball movie

Sneak peek at what it looks like to set up a new experiment on the @Space_Station! I installed hardware in the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox (MSG) for the Colloidal Solids experiment. This study will investigate the structure and dynamics of crystal, gel and glass phases during solidification of colloids (mixtures in which tiny particles of one substance are scattered throughout another, but that don’t dissolve or settle out, for example, milk, mayonnaise, and fog).  Since gravitational forces often perturb these materials, we may observe differences in microgravity. This research could lead to the development of new materials for space exploration (substrates for plant growth, 3D printing, etc.), and may provide insight into protein crystallization, a critical process in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, to directly benefit human health back on Earth.