I pulled these surprising tidbits from an in-depth article on the physics of glass which appeared in the New York Times:
1. How glass transitions from a liquid to a solid form is an unsolved riddle that still incites fierce debate within the scientific community.
2. That story about old glass window panes being uneven because their molecules are still in motion is false. Medieval glass makers just didn't have the technology to make even glass panes.
3. The shape and structure you end up with after cooling glass varies with how long you allow it to cool down and transition to a solid. It can either shatter immediately or become the durable, sturdy glass you see everywhere around you.
4. The scientific definition of glass includes all kinds of plastics and ceramics. Scientists see glass as any amorphous solid, meaning that the molecules are scrambled chaotically.
5. There is ongoing academic research into the nature of glass that involves simulated computer models and experiments with vibration frequencies.
Check out our selection of blown glass, to enjoy the fluidly solid, chaotic beauty up close. Seems like, the more you know about the things around you, the more amazing they become.