Photo of a DANDELION: http://www.cs.duke.edu/~msirivia/dandelion/dandelion.jpeg
2. Aerogels - super light, porous materials
Photo of AEROGEL - http://www.aerogem.com/photos/aerogel-32b.jpg
3. Hollow - having a gap, cavity or opening within
in e.g I hid myself inside a HOLLOW tree.
4. Impact protection - to keep from the damages resulting in collision with another object.
in e.g Casings for iPads and smart phones are a must for IMPACT PROTECTION.
5. Sound dampening - reduce, lessen or absorb sound levels, echoes and reverberation
in e.g I use SOUND DAMPENING curtains in my apartment to reduce traffic noise.
6. Thermal Insulation - reduction of heat transfer
in e.g Aerogels are known to be the best THERMAL INSULATORS.
World's Lightest Material Invented
World's Lightest Material Invented
Scientists have invented the world’s lightest material. It is so light that it can rest on top of a dandelion. Researchers from the University of California, the California Institute of Technology, and HRL Laboratories created the material they call ''ultralight metallic microlattice'' (UMM). It is 100 times lighter than styrofoam – the material commonly used in packaging goods – and 10,000 times lighter than ultralight aerogels and carbon foams (also used for packing). Lead researcher Tobias Shandler of HRL explained why the material is so light. He said: “The trick is to fabricate a lattice of interconnected hollow tubes with a wall thickness 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.'' It is so hollow that it is 99 per cent air.
The new material has been made largely of the metal nickel, but Bill Carter, a manager at HRL, said it could be made out of other materials. He said UMM is so light that: “It takes more than 10 seconds…for the lightest material we've made to fall if you drop it from shoulder height.'' The developers believe there are dozens of uses for UMM and that it will be in many everyday objects within the next decade. Computer experts say UMM will help create lighter and faster computers. Another use is impact protection - researchers say that when it is squashed to half its height, the material almost rebounds back to its original form. Other uses include sound dampening and thermal insulation.
link: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1111/111121-lightest_material.html
