A New Durable Metal That's 99% Air? See How It Works

by N/A, 9 years ago | 1 min read

Scientist revealed there was metal so light, that it could sit on top of a dandelion without crushing it back in 2011. Today, we are finally able to see how this incredible material works. It was developed by scientists are the Boeing-ownedÂ HRL Laboratories, along side researchers from the California Institute ofÂ Technology and the University of California, Irvine.

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The material is called microlattice, and it's the world's lightest metal, ever.

It's 100 times lighter than styrofoam and constructed in tubes 1000 times thinner than hair. Are you registering all of that information? This stuff is truly incredible.

Researchers compare the structure to that of bone...

In that, it's rigid on the outside, but mostly hollow on the inside. That structure is what makes this metal so incredible.

This design allows for ultra-low density, compression recovery, and energy-absorption qualities.

It's like a rubber polymer in that regard, but so much more incredible in other ways.

Microlattice is essentially 99.99% air due to its open cellular structure.

You could literally blow it right off the palm of your hand like a feather.

Microlattice is currently being considered for use in aerospace vehicles, vibration damping, thermal insulation and many other applications at this point.

The sky literally isn't even the limit as the what this stuff can do.

Watch as research scientist Sophia Yang from the HRL Laboratories explains the impressive qualities and uses of this innovative new material right here:

Science has once again proven the incredible things it can do in this world.Â