This feature was first published in April 2025 in My Mensa Weekly, our exclusive newsletter for Mensa members. Find out more about becoming a Mensa member here.
Words: Andrew Cattanach
Researchers around the globe continue to develop groundbreaking materials, which have transformed manufacturing, technology, robotics and space travel. From elements thinner than a human hair yet stronger than steel to alloys that can ‘remember’ their shape, we delve into some of the materials that have shaped our world – and explore what the future may hold.
According to Marga Hoek, author of the book Tech For Good: Imagine Solving the World’s Greatest Challenges, “New and advanced materials are transforming the way we live in unprecedented ways”. The Dutch writer and renowned business leader highlights the vast, untapped potential, noting that “an infinite number of breakthroughs remain hidden in the chemistry between the elements and materials all around us”. As we face pressing global challenges – from climate change to an ageing population – such innovations may prove more crucial than ever.
Frozen smoke
Legend has it that Samuel Kistler invented aerogel after wagering that he could replace the liquid in a jam jar without causing it to shrink. The exact path he took to develop a material that would one day journey to Mars and the summit of Mount Everest is lost to history. But in 1931, this son of a Californian shopkeeper introduced the world to a substance that defies logic: aerogel – 99.8% air, yet astonishingly solid.
As materials scientist Zoe Laughlin describes it, silica aerogel “is like a poem”. Impossibly light, its ghostly structure is nearly invisible; yet press too hard, and it crumbles to dust in your hands. Often called ‘frozen smoke’ or ‘solid air,’ this extraordinary material has captured cosmic particles in space and shielded Mars rovers from the planet’s harsh temperatures. Now part of a broader family of aerogels, silica aerogel was a key component in the specially designed suit worn by mountaineer Jamie Clarke during his 2010 Everest ascent. Once the world’s lightest solid – a title now held by graphene aerogel, which is 7.5 times lighter than air – silica aerogel remains an enduring marvel.
Stronger than steel
Graphene is made from a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. It is the thinnest known material and yet stronger than steel, highly conductive and impermeable to gases. Now over 20 years old, the atom-thick substance is at a crucial “tipping point”, according to Professor Baker of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester. While its full potential is still unfolding, graphene is already being explored for use in brain implants, nanotechnology, concrete reinforcement and even in advanced footwear – turning science fiction into reality.
Yet graphene’s origins are surprisingly humble, involving sticky tape, a bin and a lab in north-west England. During one of their informal Friday night experiments at the University of Manchester, physicists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, along with their team, used adhesive tape to peel away layers of graphite before chucking them in the bin. After someone jokingly referred to “throwing away pieces of graphene” – a nod to Sellotape’s derivation from cellophane – the team retrieved the tape from the bin and noticed atom-thin flakes of carbon. Their discovery would win the Soviet-born scientists the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Life-enhancing
Discovered by accident in 1959, nitinol is an alloy of nickel and titanium with a remarkable ability to ‘remember’ and change shape in response to temperature. Its name reflects its origins – ‘Ni’ and ‘Ti’ for its elements, and ‘NOL’ for the Naval Ordnance Laboratory, where it was first developed.
In medical applications, nitinol’s flexibility allows it to navigate tight spaces before returning to its pre-set shape. Heart stents, for example, can be compressed for easy placement and then expanded precisely where needed. In orthopaedics, surgeons exploit nitinol’s thermal contraction, effectively pulling two pieces together and holding them in place during the healing process. Meanwhile, in robotics, nitinol actuators convert energy into motion by changing shape when heated, enabling precise and adaptive movement.
The future of materials
Many of these materials have taken decades to reach their full potential – and they may yet lead to further breakthroughs. Meanwhile, new innovations stand to transform the way we live today. Here are just a few examples:
Self-healing materials are not entirely new – the Ancient Romans used lime mortar with self-repairing properties – but today’s advanced polymers, used in electronics and concrete, could dramatically extend the lifespan of products and infrastructure, reducing waste and maintenance costs.
Bio-based plastics could also be a game-changer in reducing the environmental impact of petroleum-based plastics. Though early bioplastics – made from materials such as shellac and cellulose – predate synthetic plastics, recent advancements are enabling the creation of packaging from renewable sources, including algae and fungi.
Programmable matter, which can change properties such as shape or optical characteristics in response to external stimuli, already exists in familiar forms like LCD screens. However, emerging developments – such as shape-shifting micro-robots or engineered biological materials – could push this concept far beyond what we know today.
The science of self-healing polymers
Want to dive deeper into the fascinating world of self-healing polymers? This in-depth review explores their groundbreaking properties. Read the full article here.
Credits: Shutterstock
