Horace Bénédict de Saussure (1740–1799) was a Swiss geologist, physicist, and mountaineer known for his contributions to the study of alpine geology and for being one of the pioneers of modern mountaineering. He is often credited with making significant advancements in the understanding of the Earth's structure and composition. Saussure is perhaps best known for his exploration of the Mont Blanc region in the Alps.
The Ihara zeta function is a mathematical object that arises in the study of finite graphs, particularly in the context of algebraic topology and number theory. It was introduced by Yoshio Ihara in the 1960s.
Amorphous carbonia, often referred to simply as "amorphous carbon," is a form of carbon that lacks a well-defined crystalline structure. Unlike crystalline carbon forms, such as diamond or graphite, which have ordered atomic arrangements, amorphous carbon has a disordered arrangement of carbon atoms. This gives it unique properties, including varying electrical conductivity and mechanical strength.
Amorphous silicon (a-Si) is a non-crystalline form of silicon. Unlike crystalline silicon, which has a well-defined and ordered atomic structure, amorphous silicon lacks long-range order, meaning its atomic arrangement is more random and disordered. This results in a variety of unique properties and advantages, making it useful in several applications.