Why modern chemistry still needs glassblowers

[@CDeanhartman]

No pressure on the eldest son.

[@sagebiddi]

Right. Lol...I'm hoping the twist is he learns ....but also turns out to reeaally like weed. Lol ..."GD SKYLAR THATS NOT WHAT I MEANT ...and I don't buy poptarts so you and your bum friends can eat a family sized box in ten minutes"!!!

[@TheJttv]

Nah it will be the youngest that takes it up just to please mom.

[@exoplanets]

Oh

[@akun10years10]

@@TheJttv nice

[@jastintheceooffinanasapost6204]

​@@sagebiddiFrom glassblower to grassinhaler

[@OdderOtter-Space]

Was lucky enough to have Mrs Roeger as an instructor for “burn and bleed” as a technical elective last spring. Extremely kind, patient, and insightful! The complex purpose made assemblies were among the most mesmerizing and beautiful objects I’ve ever gotten to see :)

[@danielrodriguespinto5318]

This is my father's job. He is a kind of God of glass shaping. The professionals of the field say to me that he is a reference. It make very prod. He do things to the biggest chemical company's in Brazil and abroad. It is a very difficult task. You have to had some talent, patience and be creative and intelligent. He say to my that it took 10 years to reach a minimum quality. I'm very fascinated in this topic and, since I was a kid, I know that do this job well is for a very few gifted people.

[@grizcuz]

Assuming you aren't too old. You should get him to teach you. I can't see a time when this skill will be replaced by a robot or automation. It would mean a job for life which is rare these days.

[@exoplanets]

Wow

[@RazorSkinned86]

That's really cool! BTW, VOTE BLUE NO MATER WHO

[@petergray2712]

@@RazorSkinned86 FOUR MORE YEARS! (maybe then the Democratic Party will learn some humility)

[@eigengrau7698]

@@grizcuz automatic work on things like this? Maybe it's still a long way to go. Some things take their best result when they were hand-crafted

[@piranha031091]

As someone who did a lot of air-sensitive chemistry, I am absolutely indebted to my former university's glassblowers.

[@VergeScience]

What other unique scientific jobs would you like us to cover?

[@dhruvbhutani9965]

The study of how new chemicals are found

[@kiranecromancer3679]

dhruv bhutani i second this

[@muddassirismail]

Anesthesiologists

[@MalaysianTropikfusion]

Virologists working on vaccine development.

[@timng9104]

crystallographers, i think they are cool people who grow crystals and studying minerals, oxides, fluorites, but funding for such fundamental studies seem to be dwindling

[@alicefrozenberrypink6040]

At 2:10 i was so scared and felt sharp tingling pain at different points in my chest by just the thought of having inhaled glass shards or get them in the eyes by blowing them in the face like that. I don't know how it works but it seems like these guys have been doing it for a long time. Thanks for some new info Verge Science

[@VergeScience]

Once the glass popped it actually felt a lot like plastic wrap, and wasn't sharp at all!

[@hime9744]

@@VergeScience the glass turning thin seemed ssoooo satisfying

[@alicefrozenberrypink6040]

@@VergeScience oh thank you 😄😄

[@SATORI0320]

@@VergeScience however its still very dangerous to inhale....silicosis, mesothelioma, and other lung complications can be caused by crystaline particulate in the lungs.

[@theobserver9131]

I had a girlfriend who was absolutely phobic about broken glass. I guess it's a thing. I used to be an entertainer, and did some sideshow work, including barefoot walking on/lying on broken glass.... she did not appreciate that skill at all... lol.

[@jaskaranvisuals]

Wow, this was emotional for me to watch. I learned and practised this craft for over a year at my Grandfathers home-workshop. My family has a glassblowing background in Punjab, India, and I was raised in an environment where glass apparatus were made in the other room of our house. However, I didn't follow in the footsteps of my grandpa and my uncles and became a filmmaker instead. I miss glassblowing. I truly miss it.

[@klaudialustig3259]

The video does not clearly answer the question in the title :(

[@randomuser5443]

I wanted to know why... but now i know it takes forever to make a 5 minute video

[@Daniel-yc5fu]

@@randomuser5443 As a chemist what I can say is that these people often repair broken pieces of glassware and so since every piece is broken in a different way I guess it'd be difficult to mechanize the process

[@VergeScience]

Hi Klaudia, glassblowers are crucial in chemistry to help understand how the glassware might react in certain environments. That, and they can also save universities thousands of dollars in repairs. Mary Beth's full article on scientific glassblowing can be read here: bit.ly/2PXCiW3

[@cobalt1754]

Scientists often need someone with a degree in science and an understanding of the chemical and physical properties of different types of glass to make custom glassware specific to their experiments. These parts can't be bought and aren't widely produced.

[@Kyle-cu7qz]

Glass is a substance that doesn't react to most chemicals and substances, making it a good vessel to use in chemistry, on top of this the transparency allows one to observe changes occurring in the substances contained in the vessel which is why they use glass.

[@asdfqwertA]

Wholesome content

[@catalyst1738]

Freshman major in chemistry. This reminds me of my hometown - glass manufacture was a prevailing industry there. How exciting it would be to see it revitalize.

[@kylegeo]

As a glassblower with boro its nice to see that you are teaching the ways of glass

[@airpolygon2714]

Such a lovely profession! And they seem like very good people too ♥️

[@michaelherron362]

I very occasionally needed this sort of service. Amazing skill.

[@KhanPiesseONE]

This was beautifully filmed, timed, composed. Everything. This was an amazing little video, the people who make this stuff are incredible. Thank you for bringing the talent and skill of glassblowing to our attention.

[@BobbyJ529]

was waiting for an explanation on why modern chemistry still needs glassblowers. Is there a reason machines can't do this job?

[@redcookies3272]

jay s Seems like she creates unique stuff to the specifications of the students and professors, machines are really only cost effective for mass production.

[@EnhancedNightmare]

Way too custom - one off stuff

[@sagebiddi]

There's the two answers best for your inquiry above mine Jay

[@Daniel-yc5fu]

As a chemist what I can say is that these people often repair broken pieces of glassware and so since every piece is broken in a different way I guess it'd be difficult to mechanize the process

[@sagebiddi]

@@kevinbooth- I apologise good sir. I've now realized I'm responding to the wrong comment. I was meaning to do so on the "not having an apprentice" comment. Now if you'll excuse me I must go find a mammoth size shoe horn to try to remove my misguided size 12 from my big mouth.... again apologies

[@zakiducky]

I didn’t even know this kind of equipment was still handmade and/or custom made. I figured like most things these days it was standardized and factory made.

[@novadirector]

I spent a day glass blowing at Sussex university, such great fun. Nice to see this video - wish I could give it another go.

[@alexmikhylov]

4:01 for a moment thought it's Steve Сarrel

[@saeedrahman9948]

I am glad Im not the only one who thought that...

[@JohnSmith-td7hd]

One of the rare instances where a form of art is essential to modern science.

[@gmcenroe]

As a now retired organic chemist I always had the utmost respect for the glassblowers. Even when I worked in pharmaceutical research lab we always had a glassblowing shop for repair work. I always tried too find work for him because I knew that if he didn't have work we wouldn't have a glassblower. Now it seems that even the companies that we bought glassware from, such as Chemglass were getting their products made in China instead of the US which was disappointing to me. I always wanted to learn how to do it but was too busy studying chemistry to have the time to learn. I hope we don't lose our glassblowers.

[@smoothjazzfails]

I don’t mind being an apprentice. Where do I sign up?

[@sagebiddi]

Man ...you probably would be badass at it too if you are in the field your moniker suggests. Being intimate and intricate with hands

[@sea_lettuce]

Either find a glass blower willing to train you or www.salemcc.edu/glass/glass-education-center

[@smoothjazzfails]

The Mighty Sagetto Thank you! I aim to make glorious things with these majestic hands.

[@cobalt1754]

The literal only place in the US that has a program is Salem Community College in New Jersey.

[@hbarudi]

Need modern chemistry needs this for research and custom glassware for research purposes. It is stable job environment.

[@WillOfTheWeb]

That was a great feature. I really enjoyed watching it.

[@Madderthanjoker]

glassblowers are also important to bong makers so there's that lol.

[@duncanmcken2983]

I’ve never thought about where all the glassware in our uni labs comes from before - great video!

[@MalaysianTropikfusion]

What did she mean by, "As of now, I'm not gonna be able to train an apprentice"? (5:28)

[@aleksanderorzechowski5580]

Previously she said that it would be great to train her kids to make it a fourth-generation business. So maybe she meant that since she doesn't have kids yet, she can't teach their kids. But it's confusing, dunno if she meant that

[@sagebiddi]

How did all 3 of you not hear the literal contextual part right before she says that ?

[@BothHands1]

it sounds to me that the field of specialized glass blowing is dying. they used to have 3 glassblowers on staff all week. now there's only one. it's not a sustainable future, with the new types of chemistry relying on micrometer sized equipment made in special factories, and the rest of glassware to teach students made cheaply in china. she can't train her son to be a chemistry glassblower, because there won't be any work for him

[@907vine]

Get him into art glass. He will need money for materials eventually then he’s your next apprentice

[@coltoncarlson5145]

907 vine there is probably more money to be had blowing a bong instead of a beaker

[@spattermann5809]

This skill would be very useful in a collapse of civilization situation. When you were asked, "Why are you useful to us?" You could answer, "I can make just about anything, given the time." A very useful skill to be sure.

[@Daniel-yc5fu]

For those who wanted an answer to the question of the title, as a chemist what I can say is that these people often repair broken pieces of glassware and so since every piece is broken in a different way I guess it'd be difficult to mechanize the process

[@VergeScience]

Read Mary Beth's feature here: www.theverge.com/2020/3/10/21172370/scientific-glassblowing-how-to-chemistry-fire-verge-science-video

[@AntTonyLOLKID]

Should've got some aloe vera plants instead of bunch of ice. Cutting off a side of an aloe vera left and putting it on the burn for over 10mins (or just a thick layer of its juice), it really heals the hand so so well.

[@Javier-vz7mt]

People wouldn't imagine how important scientific glass blowers are. Specially in the context of universities and biotechnological companies. It's an overlooked occupation. These instruments they create are fundamental for organic synthesis, synthesis of new drugs and compounds, etc., and are so cool

[@Ric0chetAus]

This is so beautifully shot!!

[@cfa61]

Christie, when I grew up in Corning, NY, people were said to have "glassblower's hands," if there was some burn scar from picking up hot glass. -- My Dad was featured on the cover of "The Gaffer," the Corning company employee magazine, one time - rotating a chemistry lab glass project in a flame. You would relate to that. Be careful what you pick up! / Phil.

[@dhruvbhutani9965]

The study of how new chemicals are found that would be cool

[@exoplanets]

Wow

[@hedgehog3180]

I don't think we're really finding new chemicals as much as finding new useful chemicals. A computer can very quickly list every possible combination of elements and trillions of possible molecules and we know enough about how molecules form structurally to be able to just draw up new chemicals. So finding a new chemical isn't hard but what is hard is finding chemicals that are useful to us, whether they have industrial or medical applications. That often requires long study, sometimes through simulations or sometimes through looking at nature to see what works.

[@ZanderSabbag]

Dr. Stone was a really great anime. For those that don't know, this right here is actually part of the plot of the show, but only later on. It's basically about remaking civilization in a world that has returned to the Stone age, and the team work and individual skill that comes into play.

[@AppallingScholar]

How about rikei ga koi no ochita ?

[@prasand]

Funny, I was thinking of Dr. Stone while watching this also. Wondering how she’d compare to the old man, lol.

[@ZanderSabbag]

@@prasand Me too, the whole damn mine. Got to the conclusion they'd like and admire each other a lot. Regarding the glass blowing, she'd probably win

[@dikihadi5928]

This is basically real life Kaseki and Yuzuriha

[@hardrock342]

I too was thinking about dr. Stone while watching the vid.

[@907vine]

Lots of young artists at Salem c.c. Carrying the flame

[@VergeScience]

Yes! Our reporter Mary Beth writes about them in her feature here: www.theverge.com/2020/3/10/21172370/scientific-glassblowing-how-to-chemistry-fire-verge-science-video

[@Aaron_K]

Incredible, I had no idea this was a thing. So cool Christie took up the mantle after her father.

[@EnhancedNightmare]

Our department glassblower was a magician but sadly he drank himself to death. 3 years later we still didn't find replacement.

[@rhaegartargaryen9315]

I love this kind of content, more please! Loved it!

[@highwaymen1237]

What's the typical salary of an accomplished scientific glassblower? I did research in organic chemistry synthesis for Dr. Norman Cromwell at the University of Nebraska as a chemical engineering undergraduate. We had a guy doing glass blowing in the basement of Hamilton Hall. We kept that guy jumping. We were synthesizing compounds that took 50 steps and 6 months using some very exotic glassware. The glass had a high lead content to keep UV light out that caused undesirable side reactions.

[@highwaymen1237]

@@automaticninjaassaultcat3703 If you don't know why comment?

[@flashsurfing]

@@automaticninjaassaultcat3703 +

[@highwaymen1237]

@@automaticninjaassaultcat3703 If I was worried about it I'd look it up on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. The reason I asked it in this forum was the people who posted the video could provide the salary since they're acting like people should really be interested in this profession. Sorry that you didn't notice that nuance. The reason I was interested as I've worked with people that made scientific glassware. I understand that it's a valuable skill that's unfortunately probably being outsourced to China.

[@travismiller5548]

Well if it's a public and or land grant university you can look that up on the university's website.

[@lucie3788]

Often forgotten, but honestly, glass blowers are the holy grail in science

[@travismiller5548]

Oh hey that's me! I'm a grail! LOL

[@tonysuffolk]

Her bongs are a joy to behold.

[@prakash_77]

Great video. Good job Verge Science team.

[@nareshsookraj9230]

So many groundbreaking achievements made from the glasses of these hard workers!

[@harshshitole6293]

How skilled they are!

[@ZanderSabbag]

Verge, I really enjoy this content. I think you are at your best when doing journalism and not editorials

[@dustinbodie5675]

popping the bubbles? dear god. lol

[@MilezAwxy]

Could anyone tell me what's the name of this phenomenon/experiment at 4:00 Coolest thing I've seen

[@iwiffitthitotonacc4673]

I was hoping they'd make a quick mention.

[@VergeScience]

Hey BDMA - David was using a plasma discharge tube with a variable internal pressure that allows him to condense xenon plasma to form xenon ice. Thanks for watching!

[@alcurtis93]

@@VergeScience I stand corrected thanks for letting us know!

[@embethandrews5949]

@@VergeScience You know...as you do.... ;-)

[@TheScienceBiome]

A video I didn’t think I would be interested in but ended up being fucking cool! Good job, verge science.

[@hedgehog3180]

I hadn't even thought about that but of course it's a thing. If you need custom tubing glass blowers are really your only option.

[@thefrogger6507]

I'm studying in Zagreb and for one day of chemistry basics lab we used Dumas flasks. It was really sad hearing that they were all made by an old man who's still blowing glass but doesn't have anyone to take the torch once he retires. Would be sad to have it go extinct

[@woodywoodmc2209]

I didn’t even know about this and I’m a chem major. I might look into this

[@samuraipai]

My alma mater had a glass blower... and she was made redundant the year I started undergrad ;-;

[@dennisdoodan9348]

Very talented Christine

[@joerivanmeerssche1702]

Our faculty also has only one scientific glass blower, pretty cool

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

I had a friend that did this here in oklahoma but I can't remember what happened but he lost his job after his truck broke down or something? Anyways I got to visit the shop once and it was super cool. Its a field I'd love to take a class in. I also want to take a class on watch making but they shut down the school we had here in oklahoma that did that.

[@Shakalkg]

"Everyday is a new day" that's a quote

[@Mazeralim]

Respect, Kaseki Ossan

[@mikescholz6429]

At one point I was thinking about enrolling in scientific glassblowing at East Carolina… and actually was thinking about it again just a few hours ago 🤨

[@BadHombreDaniel]

Awesome video

[@Xiaotian_Guan]

Isn't the university also the one that grinds mirrors for those huge telescopes? Man, glass is an amazing kind of material, and often under-appreciated. (p.s. I know, I know some telescopes do not use glass for their mirrors.)

[@sagebiddi]

It's a shame that you had to add that p.s. ...and yes but from what I know companies like Owens Corning are starting to hop into the matter...I'm thinking MABEY because of all the new privity into space exploration and subsequent TS's so NOW it's all of a sudden viable . Screw all us BY astrophysicists and astronomers who been sitting here for years waiting on a competitive market tho lol

[@TheRealJamesKirk]

Check out the Bohemian Glass group on Facebook; also Loetz.com

[@wisamalasadi9221]

Hello, I want to get the work requirements in the glass workshop, such as openers, carbon cutters for leveling glass and others. I want to set up a workshop. Can you help?

[@ichomann2]

Amazing!

[@Touchgrassplz]

how do we sign up???

[@bensoncheung2801]

0:53 Hol up! Is that guy writing on glass!!1!

[@RalphDratman]

Fascinating! I guess setting up a shop like that would be quite expensive, not to mention the cost of training someone. If the skill has to be learned by apprenticeship, can the next generation ever reach expert level?

[@Joe-ij6of]

Me, 2017: Meh, I’ll just stick to my job Me, 2018: Meh, I’ll just stick to my job Me, 2019: Meh, I’ll just stick to my job Me, 2020 under Quarantine: no quirky steampunk hobby turned profession is off the table!

[@2Sparky2]

Where do they get the glass tubes from?

[@cobalt1754]

The tubes can be bought from places like Schott glass. The raw materials are usually melted and pulled into tubes or rods in a factory. You can buy them here: hotglasscolor.com/product-category/lampworking/boro/boro-clear/ www.mountainglass.com/boro-glass-33-coe/clear/tubing-and-rod

[@TomKaren94]

How about some insight into whether this is lucrative enough for someone to choose this as a profession right out of school? Are they independent contractors? Do they own their own company? Let's hear some about the business side.

[@dreess8085]

Unfortunately it is not a very viable profession due to the importation of glass from china and India

[@cobalt1754]

It's really hard to get into the industry because almost no one is teaching anymore, and to become an apprentice to learn you need experience. The only place in the US that has a program is Salem Community College in New Jersey.

[@travismiller5548]

@@cobalt1754 there are over a dozen unis in the US that offer courses, Salem is the only one set up to give you the fancy paper. It's only a 2 year degree. What that says about the industry is that it is a VERY small community and accreditation is less important than, say, a portfolio demonstrating your skills. I sincerely doubt that a company in need of a sci glassblower would only consider Salem grads.

[@GhostinTube]

Senku wants to recruit you for how scientific team

[@thebutterflowers]

0:12 that's a flex.

[@bok..]

Make a bong

[@cobalt1754]

@@bok.. That's actually what most people do.

[@caitgems1]

I bet she could make a wicked bong.

[@jadexige]

What was the arcing electricity for?

[@cobalt1754]

Probably funsies. It's probably possible to fill those glass tubes with neon and bombard them with the stuff in a scientific glassblowing lab. Edit: I stand corrected. The Verge team commented elsewhere: "David was using a plasma discharge tube with a variable internal pressure that allows him to condense xenon plasma to form xenon ice. Thanks for watching!"

[@travismiller5548]

@@cobalt1754 oh weird, I came here to comment "for funsies" too.

[@yay-cat]

I wanna do that class!

[@sagebiddi]

Me too !!! Plus ...how awesome does J.pepin pronounce "sauce"....I LOVE your list.

[@joeljimenez1570]

The pressure on the son is real now! 😂

[@cosmolewandowski7860]

I have always dreamed of being an industrial glass blower! How could I get into the field? I have tons of experience in construction and fabrication, along with a better than adequate knowledge of lab equipment. I'm western N.Y. area, any suggestions please reply. Dream Job 😁

[@positivevibezonly5611]

I want to learn

[@dalep871]

I've never known a glassblower who didn't moonlight as a huge stoner.

[@travismiller5548]

Moonlight? One can do both at the same time, I assure you.

[@flashsurfing]

Better to find someone who actually wants to learn to be a glassblower than trying to pressure the son into doing it

[@MrDaskon]

You haven't answered the question in the title though. Whats up with that?

[@cobalt1754]

Scientists often need someone with a degree in science and an understanding of the chemical and physical properties of different types of glass to make custom glassware specific to their experiments. These parts can't be bought and aren't widely produced, and shipping them from China is really slow and the parts might break. ... Yeah, they really didn't a good job of answering the question.

[@clinton9110]

U can't retire.. this is something bigger

[@Quarter2Doom]

A bucket of ice... ..for burns.

[@campbellmorrison8540]

I would love to give that a go. Im 69 so, sorry I cant be your apprentice :) Such a special job

[@crimeman110]

0:13 make me a true Klein bottle then.

[@travismiller5548]

It ain't hard.

[@redseasplitter]

One of her students will damn case closed. ☮️

[@DrSpooglemon]

Surely there must be people who want to learn the trade from her.

[@1nonly963]

Sometimes i wonder what i would have had my ancestors been allowed to pass down riches, lands and cultural knowledge 🥴

[@hedgehog3180]

You are the ancestor of future generations, so you can start building a tradition now!

[@demoncloud6147]

Dr. Stone !

[@nimasarlak]

I am willing to be your apprentice!

[@FloorEncer]

Glass printers will come to market.

[@Furiends]

This whole video is actually to guilt trip her eldest son!

[@ved3055]

Why are none of them wearing gloves, it just seems common sense to have some kind of protection when working with glass and fire. It may hamper dexterity a bit but they can wear thin gloves.

[@pub652]

I am a scientific glassblower. You need to touch and handle the glass with your bare hands for the right feeling to do a proper job. You get to learn very early in you apprantencis how close you can get to the hot places on the glass you are working on with bare hands. Believe me, gloves dont work here.

[@KillianTwew]

More like, Chemists need glassblowers to know Chemistry

[@mankoomachinetools3939]

I am making these types of lathe machine.

[@rzo2271]

Its kinda amazing if you think about how first ever human figured out how to make glass and blowing technique to make it into shape 0.o we human indeed capable of making wonderful things

[@chadd990]

Ree Zo yes, but it was a slow process to learn everything we know

[@richardhussong7232]

@@chadd990 - A lot quicker than Darwinian evolution, though. At least we didn't need to spend millions of years developing specialized appendages to handle molten glass!

[@chadd990]

@@richardhussong7232 yes, compared to age of the universe, it happened in the blink of an eye. but also, compared to the complexity of the universe, maybe glass blowing isn't that interesting. but glass blowing is our accomplishment to celebrate.

[@user255]

Why modern chemistry still needs glassblowers? Because in modern chemistry things are done in nano size, which doesn't require glassblowing. OK got it. Wait... what!?

[@mattfavaloro350]

I got nothing but time I love to learn good with my hands where do I go how do I start. I can do anything so can you if you want it

[@pillowwantan3226]

The world needs strong and powerful women like this!!! She's amazing!

[@TheRealJamesKirk]

Check out Dr. Sabine Hossenfelder.

[@DeepNightHour]

So why they still need a human glass blower? Whomever uploaded the video, did they even watched the video before titling it?

[@flashsurfing]

Like the video said, to make unique custom glass pieces for scientists to use in the lab

[@manpluscamera5482]

She’s clearly an artist, not a scientist. An actual scientist would have said “3000°” and said what scale it was being read in

[@pub652]

If you were a scientist you would clearly know she is talking Fahrenheit, in Celsius the glass would be fluid like water.

[@JackIsNotInTheBox]

Under-appreciated work.