University creates process for making long carbon nanotubes

[MinedWorm]

Anybody else thinking of a space elevator?

"At one moment, Earth. The next, Heaven" 

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/145446-rice-creates-first-long-strong-flexible-and-conductive-carbon-nanotube-thread

[Buster's Uncle]

Space elevators are scary.

[Unorthodox]

Perhaps more important, though, is that this thread is exactly what we need to create smart clothes — clothing with built-in sensors and computers.

Yeah...JUST what's needed. 

WTF?   

I think the biggest possible advantage in the short term will be in computers where we're right up against a heat wall when it comes to computer powers.  These should allow creation of some cooler, and thus faster, circuits, yes?   

[MinedWorm]

Speaking as an EE, this also could help with power transmission:

Current power transmission lines use aluminum cables wrapped around a central steel cable for support. That's a lot of metal, and aluminum's not quite as good a conductor as copper. As such, you can get some pretty hefty power losses across the entire transmission line.

With the strength and lightness of these threads, you may be able to construct a nanotube transmission line. Of course, we'll have to do more testing to see what the maximum current carrying capabilities are. But if it works, the power plants won't have to work as hard to generate electricity, which means less resources consumed to produce power.

[gwillybj]

Could carbon nanotubes be used in fiber optic applications?
 

(Sorry, had a duh moment even after reading the bit about the tiny silicon-based fiber optics.)