# quartz (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 7 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover quartz. Page: Feed: --- ## [1st Sept 2026: An Increase in Membership Prices](https://commoncog.com/1-sept-2026-increase-membership-price/) _2026-08-11 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Commoncog is increasing membership prices on 1st September 2026. If you’d like to lock in the old prices, you should probably sign up before then. ## [Stromatolites as Recorders of Major Oxygenation Events and Biogeochemical Metal Cycling through Earth’s History](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/stromatolites-as-recorders-of-major-oxygenation-events-and-biogeochemical-metal-cycling-through-earths-history/) _2026-08-07 · Sylvie Bruggmann · Elements Magazine_ Microbial carbonates are found throughout most of the geological record and have formed under varying atmospheric and hydrospheric conditions. Recent advancements in analytical techniques have enabled the use of novel, highly promising geochemical proxies, such as metals and their isotopes, to reconstruct ancient microbial habitats. Here, we review recent discoveries and the benefits of applying… ## [Exploring the Stable Isotope Record of Stromatolites](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/exploring-the-stable-isotope-record-of-stromatolites/) _2026-08-07 · Christophe Thomazo · Elements Magazine_ Stromatolites rank among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, with extremely high rates of element cycling, especially carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, iron, and sulfur. Their study provides critical insights into early microbial life evolution, environmental conditions, and associated biogeochemical cycling. Specifically, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotopes can be used to assess metabolic… ## [Stromatolites Through Earth’s Early History](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/stromatolites-through-earths-early-history/) _2026-08-07 · Axel Hofmann · Elements Magazine_ Stromatolites are widespread in Precambrian sedimentary successions and provide important insights into life, environmental processes, and surface conditions on the young Earth. Shaped by interactions among microbial processes, sediment deposition, and mineral precipitation, stromatolites have a record spanning most of Earth’s history and are sensitive indicators for past hydrodynamic conditions… ## [Microbialite-Associated Microbial Communities, Present and Past](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/microbialite-associated-microbial-communities-present-and-past/) _2026-08-07 · Miguel Iniesto · Elements Magazine_ This chapter describes the biological composition of modern microbialites, aiming at identifying the major microbial actors that may contribute to their mineralization and growth. Despite the vast diversity in community composition, environmental conditions, and dominant mineral phases, certain key components emerge as critical drivers of these processes. Additionally, the dominance of specific… ## [Diversity, Mechanisms of Formation, and Predicted Fate of Modern Microbialites on a Rapidly Changing Planet](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/diversity-mechanisms-of-formation-and-predicted-fate-of-modern-microbialites-on-a-rapidly-changing-planet/) _2026-08-07 · Nina Zeyen · Elements Magazine_ Accurately interpreting ancient microbialites requires a detailed understanding of how they form, including teasing apart the respective roles of environmental factors versus microbial activity. Modern microbialites serve as essential tools for this purpose. Currently, microbialites form in both marine and continental settings, displaying remarkable diversity in terms of formation environments,… ## [The Story of Stromatolites–Mineralising Ecosystems and Geo-Biological Archives](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/the-story-of-stromatolites-mineralising-ecosystems-and-geo-biological-archives/) _2026-08-07 · Laurane Fogret · Elements Magazine_ Stromatolites represent some of the oldest and most persistent records of life on Earth. These organo-sedimentary structures have formed through complex interactions between microorganisms and their environment for nearly 3.5 billion years. Here, we trace the evolving scientific narrative surrounding these structures, from their early 19th-century descriptions to their integration into the broader… ## [What Does It Look Like When You Handle Disruption Well?](https://commoncog.com/what-look-like-when-handle-disruption-well/) _2026-07-27 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Announcing a new series about people and businesses handling disruption well (or badly). Why are we doing this? Well, that’s hopefully going to be obvious to you. ## [Tactical Decision Game with John Schmitt](https://commoncog.com/tactical-decision-game-john-schmitt/) _2026-07-27 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Aug 13 2026 9am-12pm CDT / 10pm-12am SGT. A live tactical decision game with the creator of Tactical Decision Games, John Schmitt. TDGs are an accelerated expertise training format developed for the US Marines. Schmitt has kindly agreed to run a TDG and to take questions from the membership. ## [How Moats are Built](https://commoncog.com/how-moats-are-built/) _2026-07-20 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Building a moat is the difference between having fun with business, vs eating glass all day, every day, for years. This is how moats are actually built. ## [Hire AI-Powered Freelancers Fast (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/dtMSYOpxp2fw) _2026-07-20 · **Sponsored**_ Browse and hire skilled professionals using AI tools — free to post, free to apply. ## [UV imaging with the 41mm UFAR Mars mission lens](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/uv-imaging-with-the-41mm-ufar-mars-mission-lens/) _2026-07-10 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ A few weeks ago I received a 41mm f2.5 UFAR lens which was developed for the Soviet Mars programme (you can see my initial work on it here). As it was, fitting a filter to the front wasn t really feasible. A good friend of mine, Dr Klaus Schmitt, who has one of these lenses, showed Continue reading UV imaging with the 41mm UFAR Mars mission lens ## [Building StitchAI: From Prompt to Graph](/notes/building-stitchai---july-06-2026/) _2026-07-06 · nicholasarner@gmail.com (Nick Arner) · Home on Nick Arner_ Attempting to build a Copilot-like experience that turns natural language prompts into node graphs What is Stitch? Stitch is an open-source visual prototyping tool in the spirit of Origami Studio and Quartz Composer. Instead of writing code, designers and developers wire together nodes in a graph to build interactive prototypes. For example, a draggable card might be made from a visual layer node,… ## [Using the Quartz Crisis to Make Sense of Technological Disruption](https://commoncog.com/quartz-crisis-learning-tech-disruption/) _2026-07-03 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Also: the quartz crisis isn’t really about quartz at all. A sensemaking exercise for those who want to get better at making sense of possible AI disruption. ## [A Retrospective on Goldratt’s Thinking Tools](https://commoncog.com/retrospective-on-goldratts-thinking-tools/) _2026-06-29 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Some notes on a series of members-only workshops on Eliyahu Goldratt’s Thinking Tools, presented by Roger Williams. ## [Bringing AR to Stitch](/notes/bringing-ar-to-stitch---june-29-2026/) _2026-06-29 · nicholasarner@gmail.com (Nick Arner) · Home on Nick Arner_ Building Augmented Reality capabilities for a visual prototyping tool – from AR session management to a multi-platform camera pipeline. What is Stitch? Stitch is an open-source visual prototyping tool in the spirit of Origami Studio and Quartz Composer. Instead of writing code, designers and developers wire together nodes in a graph to build interactive prototypes. Stitch’s nodes come… ## [Submicron imaging with a Leitz Quartz darkground condenser](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/submicron-imaging-with-a-leitz-quartz-darkground-condenser/) _2026-06-26 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ For those of you that don t follow my work, I like to use historic optics on my microscope and see what they can do. A few weeks ago I got a Leitz darkground condenser made from quartz instead of glass (which I wrote about here) as I wanted to try it for my UV imaging Continue reading Submicron imaging with a Leitz Quartz darkground condenser ## [Did Quartz Really Kill the Swiss Watch Industry in the 70s?](https://commoncog.com/did-quartz-really-kill-the-swiss-watch-industry-70s/) _2026-06-25 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ What happens when a case you commissioned turns out to be based on a mainstream narrative ... that’s false! ## [Cate Hall Q&A on Agency](https://commoncog.com/cate-hall-q-a-on-agency/) _2026-06-23 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Jun 7 2026 6-7pm PDT / Jun 8 2026 9am-10am SGT. Cate Hall joins Commoncog members to talk about agency, the topic of her new book You Can Just Do Things. ## [Building a 3D System Inside Stitch](/notes/building-a-3d-system-inside-stitch-june-22-2026/) _2026-06-22 · nicholasarner@gmail.com (Nick Arner) · Home on Nick Arner_ Building RealityKit-powered 3D nodes for a visual prototyping tool, and the container entity pattern that made transforms predictable. What is Stitch? Stitch is an open-source visual prototyping tool in the spirit of Origami Studio and Quartz Composer. Instead of writing code, designers and developers wire together nodes in a graph to build interactive prototypes. One big area I focused on was… ## [The SiO2 Gemstone Family](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/the-sio2-gemstone-family/) _2026-06-15 · Jens Götze · Elements Magazine_ Quartz is the most popular and widely used gemstone of the SiO 2 family with its phenomenal varieties and spectacular colors, e.g., near-colorless (rock crystal), purple (amethyst), yellow (citrine), smoky (smoky quartz), and pink. The colors of these varieties are mostly caused by trace contents of foreign ions, which in turn are activated by treatment with high-energy radiation and/or… ## [Play Both Sides Of The Lie (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/uR483ljh5IUz) _2026-06-15 · **Sponsored**_ Two operatives, one manufactured war — uncover the Complete Truth after both campaigns. ## [Microcrystalline and Amorphous Silica: Materials that Shaped Humanity](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/microcrystalline-and-amorphous-silica-materials-that-shaped-humanity/) _2026-06-15 · Elisabetta Gliozzo · Elements Magazine_ The use of microcrystalline silica has been documented among early hominins, with significant diversification over the last ~3 million years, from early toolmaking to applications in personal adornment and symbolic contexts. From the Oldowan onwards, both microcrystalline quartz and amorphous silica are consistently observed in the archaeological record, and they shaped aspects of human… ## [Quartz-derived Solutions for Renewable Energy Production, Semiconductors, and Beyond](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/quartz-derived-solutions-for-renewable-energy-production-semiconductors-and-beyond/) _2026-06-15 · Axel Müller · Elements Magazine_ Humankind’s use of silica raw materials began at least 1.85 million years ago with production of flint tools and spans to today’s more than 1000 industrial applications, all relying on its chemistry and specific physical properties. Among the key achievements are the discovery of the piezoelectric effect of quartz for timekeeping, the critical importance of silicon-based semiconductor technologies… ## [Quartz—Hour-Glass for Surface Processes](https://www.elementsmagazine.org/quartz-hour-glass-for-surface-processes/) _2026-06-15 · Gerald Raab · Elements Magazine_ Quartz is a key archive of Earth surface processes, recording erosion, burial, transport, and landscape evolution across a wide range of timescales. Recent advances in quartz-based analytical techniques have expanded the potential for integrative geochemical and geochronological approaches. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) enables detailed characterization of quartz provenance and… ## [Ufar 41mm f2.5 lens, designed for a Soviet Mars mission](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/ufar-41mm-f2-5-lens-designed-for-a-soviet-mars-mission/) _2026-06-15 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ Every now and then I m lucky enough to get an unusual piece of imaging history. This one certainly falls into the unusual category. It s a 41mm f2.5 Ufar lens that was developed for a Soviet Mars mission in the 1990s. With this one there are now 7 known to exist. And no it hasn t been Continue reading Ufar 41mm f2.5 lens, designed for a Soviet Mars mission ## [Computer Vision Nodes in Stitch](/notes/computer-vision-nodes-in-stitch---june-15-2026/) _2026-06-15 · nicholasarner@gmail.com (Nick Arner) · Home on Nick Arner_ Building CoreML and Vision-powered detection nodes for a visual prototyping tool, and the investigation that fixed bounding box alignment. What is Stitch? Stitch is an open-source visual prototyping tool in the spirit of Origami Studio and Quartz Composer. Instead of writing code, designers and developers wire together nodes in a graph to build interactive prototypes. During my 2+ years on the… ## [Sensemaking as the Heart of Expertise](https://commoncog.com/sensemaking-heart-of-expertise/) _2026-06-12 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ A demonstration of how training sensemaking is a path to accelerated expertise. ## [Leitz quartz darkground condenser – a lesson in hubris](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/leitz-quartz-darkground-condenser-a-lesson-in-hubris/) _2026-06-07 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ Today s post is one about the dangers of making assumptions in science .. For background, I built a UV transmission microscope a couple of years ago. This was done for a couple of reasons; to see if I could, to use some quirky and unusual technology and equipment, and to be able to image different sunscreen Continue reading Leitz quartz darkground condenser a lesson in hubris ## [Visualizing microscope condenser light cones – Uranium glass](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/visualizing-light-cones-uranium-glass/) _2026-06-03 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ What feels like a long time ago, all the way back in 2020, when I first started my microscope journey, I made myself a condenser using UV fused silica instead of glass. This was so I could use it for ultraviolet microscopy (you can see the early post here). I always wondered how well it Continue reading Visualizing microscope condenser light cones Uranium glass [Listen](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20260602_140315-Standard-Abbe-being-closed.mp4) ## [Reflections on the Software Dark Factory Q&A](https://commoncog.com/reflections-on-the-software-dark-factory-q-a/) _2026-06-03 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Some thoughts from watching a demo of a Software Dark Factory. ## [Software Dark Factory Q&A](https://commoncog.com/software-dark-factory-q-a/) _2026-05-22 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Jun 1 2026 8-9pm PT / Jun 2 11am-12pm SGT. Jay Taylor and Navan Chauhan will give a presentation of a real software dark factory for members. This Q&A will be moderated by James Cham of Bloomberg Beta. ## [Recipe PDFs Ready Fast (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/abuvRYHikGG7) _2026-05-22 · **Sponsored**_ Turn online or personal recipes into clean, printable PDFs in seconds. ## [There are Many Configurations of Business That Work](https://commoncog.com/there-are-many-configurations-of-business-that-work/) _2026-05-20 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to give up your life to build a successful business. Though what success means, and what ‘giving up your life’ means depends on you. ## [Mercury iodide diatom mount](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/mercury-iodide-diatom-mount/) _2026-05-18 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ This post is a bit of a double whammy. First, I ll share some diatom images from a microscope slide with a very unusual mountant mercury iodide. Second, I ll talk about the useful and multifunctional objective I used to take these images a Zeiss 40x Plan Apo, with an iris and a phase contrast Continue reading Mercury iodide diatom mount ## [Live Goldratt Thinking Tools Workshop with Roger Williams](https://commoncog.com/live-goldratt-thinking-tools-workshop-with-roger-williams/) _2026-05-11 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ May 23, 30, Jun 6, 13, 20 2026 8am-9am EDT / 8pm-9pm SGT. Roger Williams teaches how he uses Eliyahu Goldratt’s Thinking Tools. ## [Microscopy of moon rock – a new project](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/microscopy-of-moon-rock-a-new-project/) _2026-05-06 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ After the amazing Artemis II mission, it got me wondering, could I get some moon rock to look at under the microscope? Now, funnily enough I can t go to NASA and ask for a small amount of lunar material from an Apollo mission, however there are ways to get rock which has come from the Continue reading Microscopy of moon rock a new project ## [How to Improve at Sensemaking AI?](https://commoncog.com/how-to-improve-at-sensemaking-ai/) _2026-05-03 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ What we can learn from the disorienting changes hitting the software industry, and how we can use that to improve at sensemaking this uncertain new technology. ## [How Experts Sensemake](https://commoncog.com/how-experts-sensemake/) _2026-04-07 · Cedric Chin · Commoncog_ Two decades ago, the US military funded some research into how humans sensemake. This piece is about that theory — the best theory of sensemaking that we have — why it matters for expertise, and how you can apply it to make sense of AI. ## [MicroChamber shelf liner for slide storage](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/microchamber-shelf-liner-for-slide-storage/) _2025-12-07 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ A vital part of my microscopy work is how best to store my slides to keep them protected and clean for the long term. For details on what I do read the latest my post on my museum website (DiatomImaging.com) where I show the MicroChamber shelf liner from Conservation Resources Ltd (see here). Seasons greetings Continue reading MicroChamber shelf liner for slide storage ## [Microscopy award – Pyrgodiscus diatom](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/microscopy-award-pyrgodiscus-diatom/) _2025-10-23 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ Always nice to get an award for my imaging work, especially from such a distinguished organization as the Quekett Microscopical Club. I was awarded the 2025 Barnard Certificate for Excellence in Photomicrography, Technical Category , for my image of the diatom Pyrgodiscus armatus from a slide prepared by Michel Haak. Quite a stunning looking (and rare) Continue reading Microscopy award Pyrgodiscus… ## [New article alert – oblique lighting for microscopy](https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/new-article-alert-oblique-lighting-for-microscopy/) _2025-10-20 · Jonathan Crowther · JMC Scientific Consulting Ltd_ Always fun to report a new article. At the end of last year I was asked to write a piece on the use of oblique lighting for the Postal Microscopical Society (an amazing group established in 1873). It was recently published in their journal, Balsam Post. Oblique lighting helps to provide a more 3D appearance Continue reading New article alert oblique lighting for microscopy ## [Stitch - Open Source Prototyping](/projects_and_work/work/stitch/) _2025-09-08 · nicholasarner@gmail.com (Nick Arner) · Home on Nick Arner_ I’m the founding engineer of Stitch Design, an open-source prototyping tool. Following in the footsteps of Quartz Composer and Origami, Stitch allows users the ability to prototype complex, mobile-first interactions in a canvas environment. You can check it out on GitHub here. I worked on a variety of features, including: 3D Prototyping AR Prototyping Computer Vision Nodes AI - Features… ## [Building Chroma for Swift](/notes/building-chroma-for-swift---september-05-2025/) _2025-09-05 · nicholasarner@gmail.com (Nick Arner) · Home on Nick Arner_ I recently collaborated with the folks at Chroma (a company I’m an investor in) to build Chroma Swift — a Swift package that brings Chroma’s retrieval system to iOS and macOS applications. This post outlines the technical journey of bridging Chroma’s Rust core with Swift, including cross-platform compilation, embedding support, and cloud synchronization. Until recently, most developers… ## [String Obfuscation in Swift Apps](/notes/string-obfuscation-in-swift-apps---august-25-2025/) _2025-08-25 · nicholasarner@gmail.com (Nick Arner) · Home on Nick Arner_ In your app, you may run into times where you want to obfuscate the content of sensitive strings. In the case of an app that leverages AI by making either API calls to a provider like OpenAI or Anthropic, or when running models locally; you may have stored the prompts for interacting with the models as strings on the device. In this case, you may want to ensure that a competitor can’t figure out… ## [TiktokenSwift](/notes/tiktokenswift---august-14-2025/) _2025-08-14 · nicholasarner@gmail.com (Nick Arner) · Home on Nick Arner_ Today I open-sourced TiktokenSwift - A Native Swift Wrapper of OpenAI’s Tiktoken Tokenizer. TiktokenSwift is an open-source Swift package that brings OpenAI’s high-performance tiktoken tokenizer natively to Apple platforms. By providing a lightweight FFI bridge to the official tiktoken library, it enables Swift developers to integrate the same tokenization used by GPT-3.5, GPT-4,… ## [Collections of Thoughts on Parasites](https://mimvoid.neocities.org/biology/critters/parasites.html) _2025-07-22 · Home on mimvoid's little corner_ Note : Don’t take anything here as medical advice. I’m not sure why you would, but don’t. Parasites get a pretty bad rap, and for good reason: they’re the embodiment of free-loaders, can severely damage their hosts, and have a strong disgust factor. I’m not too fond of them, so I probably won’t make any pages dedicated to a parasite unless it’s… ## [Learn about open-source Protomaps in my updated map class](https://johnkeefe.net/learn-about-open-source-protomaps-in-my-updated-map-class) _2025-04-19 · John Keefe · johnkeefe.net_ Download promo.mp4 I'm teaching about mapping again, this time featuring Protomaps , an open-source format that allows you to make zoomable maps without a subscription to a mapping service. (Play the video above for a jazzy promo!) The Protomaps system is based on serving map tiles for your basemap and data from static files — just like an image or audio file. This gives us a whole new level of… [Listen](https://phaven-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/files/video_part/encoded/3307714/_oqu69wU9tIudmoRfJV3GeQ8-uk/promo.mp4) ## [Font Browsing Sites](https://mimvoid.neocities.org/fonts/browsing.html) _2025-02-19 · Home on mimvoid's little corner_ There are many well-known font websites out there—Google Fonts, 1001Fonts, DaFont, etc. However, there are many more around the web that may be a little more obscure, but not any less valuable! Luc Devoye: Type Design This is a wonderful and huge archive of fonts of various foundries and styles. It was made with an encyclopedic treatment, so in addition to images of the fonts, it has information… ## [Reading](https://mimvoid.neocities.org/reading.html) _2025-02-12 · Home on mimvoid's little corner_ Books Michel Foucault. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison . Particularly, Chapter 3: “Panopticism” Devon Price. Unmasking Autism . Pete Walker. Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving . Fyodor Dostoevsky. Crime and Punishment . I have fond memories of this book from high school. It’s one of my favorites of all time. Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov the delirious fainter… ## [Sacoglossa](https://mimvoid.neocities.org/biology/critters/sacoglossa.html) _2025-02-10 · Home on mimvoid's little corner_ Under Construction (ﾉ・・)ノ・・・ Sacoglossa is a superorder of shelled and unshelled marine gastropods, also known as sea snails and sea slugs . They feed on algae, which is why they’re sometimes called sap-sucking slugs. Some members take it a step further, and steal the algae’s chloroplasts for themselves in a behavior known as kleptoplasty. These chloroplasts serve as extra energy… ## [Status](https://mimvoid.neocities.org/status.html) _2025-02-10 · Home on mimvoid's little corner_ Aren’t fireflies cool? Please leave out your winter leaf piles for the little guys. \<3 ## [Updates](https://mimvoid.neocities.org/updates.html) _2025-02-10 · Home on mimvoid's little corner_ 2026 24.07.2026 Made various minor tweaks in scripts and stylesheets 18.07.2026 Hey, hey, I’m back! Updated the link to typOasis to the last working snapshot on Web Archive Updated site buttons I haven’t decided what to do about the sites that no longer work… I’ll see if any of them have a different page! Added JetBrains Mono 2025 18.08.2025 I recently made a repository to…