Question

A mixture of methanol and ethanol in a 4:1 volume ratio has good physical properties for use in these devices. William Bassett invented a “hydrothermal” type of these devices for use with fluids. Conditions in these devices are usually analyzed either with X-ray diffraction on a material whose equation of state is known, or by measuring shifts in the fluorescence lines of ruby. A now-retracted 2020 (-5[1])Nature paper claimed to use these devices to achieve room-temperature superconductivity (15[2]-5[2])in a carbonaceous (15[2])sulfur hydride. In these devices, a tungsten or rhenium (*) gasket (10[1])encloses the sample, which must be smaller than a few hundred microns, since these devices create a very small area to transmit a large force. (-5[1])For 10 (10[1])points, what devices (10[1])generate millions of atmospheres of pressure by squeezing a sample between two minerals with Mohs hardness 10? (10[1])■END■ (10[1]0[2])

ANSWER: diamond anvil cells [accept DAC, accept diamond anvil presses; your editor has been bullied into making diamond anvils acceptable rather than merely promptable, but you should inform the teams that “diamond anvils” technically refers to a single component of the overall device.] (I have had to edit the clue about the Dias Nature paper multiple times due to updates in the saga, which appears to be at the “attempting to defraud investors” phase: https://www.science.org/content/article/something-seriously-wrong-room-temperature-superconductivity-study-retracted)
<BB>
= Average correct buzz position

Summary

2023 BHSU @ Northwestern02/25/2023N633%17%67%97.50
2023 BHSU @ Maryland03/11/2023Y367%33%33%108.00
2023 BHSU @ Berkeley03/18/2023Y250%50%50%76.00
2023 BHSU Online04/15/2023Y4100%25%50%104.25
2023 BHSU @ Sheffield04/15/2023Y2100%50%0%99.00

Buzzes

PlayerTeamOpponentBuzz PositionValue
coby tranWhat is BH! And you are asking me? BHSUDr. Christopher Manners, MD – Samarra, Iraq65-5
Swapnil GargBerkeley ABerkeley B76-5
Joey Montoya[Insert Lawyer Joke Here]Stanford A7615
Michael EngFan-tastic Negs and Where to Find ThemRutgers Diaspora76-5
Jonathen SettleDr. Christopher Manners, MD – Samarra, IraqWhat is BH! And you are asking me? BHSU7615
Vittal BhatGlass Onyen: A Knives Out MysteryMaryland B+7915
JacobOxford HornetsBuzzers Karamazov7915
Geoffrey ChenHutto HipposHouston and friends8910
Dan NiCornell B-Rollin in from Sturgis, The Cheyne Gang114-5
Arya KarthikThe Enrique Trastamara Military Academy BCornell C++11610
EvanBroken Imperial NomadsMagisters Ludi11910
Alex LiRollin in from Sturgis, The Cheyne GangCornell B-13610
Vinu HariharBerkeley BBerkeley A1370
Collin AceRutgers DiasporaFan-tastic Negs and Where to Find Them1370
Vincent DuThe Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 NegsMaryland A13710