On a dreary, rainy Friday afternoon, Dr. Elwood, Ron, Joe, and I made our way to the Lucent facility in Allentown. I pondered just what we would be shown during our visit. I had wondered if we'd see any oompa-loompas roaming around, or if we'd be shown some of their secret projects currently under development, such as a Stargate, or a transporter like from Star Trek.

Upon our arrival, we were shown a happy video about the production of computer chips. Our tour guide then took us into a room where we viewed some finished computer chips on silicon wafers under the microscope. It was like looking at a tiny city.

Then we walked about a mile and were shown some of the clean rooms where the silicon wafers are etched into computer chips. The people wore space suits and we saw them through yellow-tinted glass. I was reminded of those awful Pentium commercials with the space-suited people disco dancing.

After being shown where the workers can eat lunch, we walked another mile, and then we were taken on a shuttle bus to a different building where we got to see silicon crystals being made. At this point in the trip I started to lag behind, so I didn't hear what our guide was telling us. Even if I hadn't lagged behind I couldn't hear him anyway because of the loud machinery. Therefore I imagined my own explanation for what I was seeing.

After the crystals are made they are cut and inspected. Then that was the end of the tour. We weren't given any souvenirs to take home --- bummer!

Now that I know how computer chips are made, I feel closer to my computers, and to all silicon-chipped life.