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Re:First claimed successful replication of LK-99 superconduc... by shakow on Tuesday August 01, 2023 @07:46AM (#36954833)
> My guess would be that those letters are an even more shortened form of linear amp(lifier).

No, they were colloquially called (void) lamps in at least French and Slavic languages, because they looked like incandescent bulbs, that were called lamps (lampe/лампа) as well.

Re:First claimed successful replication of LK-99 superconduc... by codedokode on Tuesday August 01, 2023 @09:11AM (#36955502)
And tubes glow like a lamp so it is natural to call them so.
Re:First claimed successful replication of LK-99 superconduc... by coolspot on Tuesday August 01, 2023 @03:23PM (#36961216)
So they are lamps, just very inefficient.