크리스탈의 스마일

발간사
서 문
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1. 핸드폰 ····················································································· 12
2. 여권 ························································································ 16
3. 카드 ························································································ 19
4-1. 커피메이커 ·········································································· 21
4-2. 커피메이커 두 번째 이야기 ··············································· 24
6. 로켓 미사일 ············································································ 30
7-1. 에어컨 ················································································ 34
7-2. 에어컨 두 번째 이야기 ······················································ 36
8. USB ······················································································· 39
9. 전기 밥솥 ··············································································· 42
10. 전자 혈압계 ·········································································· 45
11. 레이더-소나 ········································································· 47
12. 전자 레인지 ·········································································· 50
13. 미용과 스킨케어 ··································································· 53
14. 컴퓨터 ··················································································· 57
15. 보이저호 ··············································································· 61
16. 냉장고 ··················································································· 64
17. 비행기 ··················································································· 67
18. 인덕션 ··················································································· 70
19. 지하철 ··················································································· 73
20. 체중계 ··················································································· 76
21. 게임기 ··················································································· 78
22. 휴머노이드 ············································································ 80
23-1. 테레비 TV 텔레비전 ······················································· 83
23-2. 테레비 그 두 번째 이야기 ·············································· 85
24. 전자식 열쇠 ·········································································· 88
25. 이어폰 ··················································································· 91
26. X-Ray ·················································································· 94
27. 자동차 ··················································································· 97
28. 치과용 기구 ······································································· 100
에필로그 ····················································································· 103

서 문
근 50여 년 간 결정성장학(Crystal Growthology)을 공부하고, 그때도 이 결정들이 어느 용도에 활용됨을 알며 공부했다. 그때 연구원이었던 대학원생 제자들은 사회에 나와 이젠 결정성장학의 대석학이 되어 계속 연구에 정진하고 있다.
어느 날 갑자기 대학에서 공부했던 그 결정들, 그리고 지금 제자들이 연구하는 결정들이 명실공히 어떻게 쓰이는가가 궁금해졌다. 쉽게 생활 주위의 우리가 매일 접하는 물품(Item)들 약 100여를 마구잡이로(randomly) 골라 여기에도 결정이 장착되었나 생각하며 공부했다. 깜작 놀란 것은, 그 아이템들 전부가 결정 덩어리로 구성되어 있다는 사실을 알았고, 더 중요한 것은 결정이 없으면 아이템 자체의 기능이 마비됨을 알았다]공학적 차원에서 그러한 사실을 기초로 전문적 책을 집필하는 와중에 물품에 장착된 개개의 크리스탈이 각자의 기능을 하지만, 크리스탈들이 서로 협업하여 기능하는 과정에서 그들이 주고받고 서로 반응하는 것이 마치 장난치고, 웃고, 히히덕거리는 것 같은 느낌을 받았다.
그러한 크리스탈들은 대부분 칩 형태로 되어 있고, 보이지 않으며, 반응 속도도 1000분의 1초보다 더 빠른 시간에 일어난다. 그러한 현상의 상상 느낌이 토대가 되어 글을 몇 자 쓰게 되었고, 결국 산문 (Essay)을 출간하게 되었다.
여기에 실린 글은 완전히 나만의 상상(Fictive)의 글이라 현실 세계와는 크게 거리가 있을 수 있다. 이 에세이집에는 핸드폰부터 주방 기구, 병원 진단 장비, 자동차, 비행기 등과 몇 개의 군사장비, 인공 위성 등 28개의 Item을 선정해서, 장착된 크리스탈을 중심으로 공학적이 아닌 인문학적 산문으로 표현하려고 노력했다.
이 자료를 처음부터 정리해 준, 장래 외교관이 꿈인 한양대학교 정치외교학과 이범규 군에게 크게 고맙게 생각한다. 이 책 출판을 도와 주신 한림원 김흥중 대표님, 편집해 주신 한윤서님, 표지 디자인을 해 주신 이한경님께 감사하다.
2025. 7
지하철 안에서 크리스탈을 생각하며
정죽

프롤로그
보석(결정, 크리스탈)은 옛날부터 부와 권위의 상징으로 보통 사람들은 지닐 수 없는 고귀한 물건이었다. 그러나 현대인들은 그런 결정(크리스탈)을 일상 생활에 매일 가까이 유용하게 활용 한다.
결정은 원자들이 질서 정연하게 나열되어 있으며, 흐트러져 있으면 결정이 될 수 없다. 보석은 천연적으로 원자들이 흐트러짐없이 나열된 돌이며, 인공적으로 그렇게 원자들을 배열할 수 있다.
이렇게 인공적으로 제조한 크리스탈은 불순물이 없고 원자들이 더 엄격하게 잘 배열돼 있다.
천연 보석이나 인공적으로 제조된 결정(보석)은 신비스러운 아름다움을 떠나 상상할 수 없는 전기, 전자, 광학적 특성을 가지고 있음을 학자들이 발견했다. 그러나 인공 결정이 천연석보다 더 순수한 물성을 가지고 있다.
그러한 결정의 물성을 활용해서 우리가 매일 쓰는 핸드폰, 컴퓨터, 더 가까이 커피를 만드는 기계까지 만들었다. 우리는
이러한 물품을 매일 한시도 빠짐없이 접하며 살고 있다. 그러한 물품들은 결정을 지니고 있으니, 우리는 매일 결정과 더불어 산다. 결정 없이는 현대인은 한시도 생활할 수가 없다. 결정(보석)은 이제 치장하는 것이 아니고, 생활 필수품이 되었다.
여기에 소개하는 20여 개 물품들에 어떠한 결정이 장착되어있고, 그들은 무슨 기능을 가지고 있나 쉽게 에세이로 쓰려고
노력했다.