Fantastic read! Now why can't all technical and scientific journalism hold itself to this standard? Instead of making the prevailing assumption that your average reader has the I.Q. of a parsnip and the scientific literacy of a kindergartener ;)

Have always felt single-crystal foundaries could be a great driver for building low Earth orbit microgravity factories. There has been extensive research in the labs on ISS dedicated to making highly spherical ball bearings, long macromolecular protein crystals and extreme density refractory metal composites. But is anyone contemplating large scale commercial production? With the cost of delivery dropping, it seems like it might be a idea worth re-considering!