Five Futuristic Substances We Have Today

Follow

It appears there are no limits to what human intelligence can achieve. Innovation has been the hallmark of every stage of human civilization, with new and exciting gadgets being produced that have drastically transformed our way of life. The seemingly impossible has been made possible through cutting-edge scientific research and advancements in technology. Here are five substances which will shape our conversations and thoughts for many years to come, and the sheer ingenuity that has gone into making them a reality will surprise you. Molecular Superglue If you are a regular use of superglue, I am sure that your fingers getting stuck together is the last thing you would want, because separating them can be real trouble, and painful too! That pain would be nothing in comparison to that caused by glue that bonds molecules. Some researchers from England have come up with molecular glue after carefully studying Streptococcus pyogenes, otherwise known as flesh-eating bacteria. This bacterium uses a special protein to attach itself to human cells, which is what has been used in the molecular glue. When it came to measuring the bonds formed by this molecular glue, the measuring instrument broke even before the glue! The scientists are now looking to create selective glues whose unbelievably strong adhesive power will have many applications Aerogel Sometimes called “frozen smoke”, this partially-transparent material is manufactured by freeze-drying the liquid forms of tin oxide or alumina. Other liquid gels such as carbon or chromina can also be used. Aerogel is special because it’s an excellent insulator. To prove how strong it is, a flamethrower cannot harm a person using aerogel as a shield. Since aerogel can insulate from both cold and heat, scientists are trying to see how it can be incorporated in various forms of protective gear as well as in clothing for adverse temperatures. Amorphous Metal Amorphous metals, as the name suggests, are basically real metals whose atomic structures have been altered or disordered. This is achieved by quickly cooling molten metal before it has a chance to adopt a crystal pattern in its atomic structure. Also known as metallic glass, this quality makes it useful in power grids because it disperses energy more efficiently as compared to the normal metal crystals. Since it improves efficiency by as much as 40%, we can safely say that carbon emissions from fossil fuels will be drastically reduced, hence reversing the effects of global warming. Artificial Spider Silk Scientists have always been amazed at the unique properties of natural silk. It is so strong yet so light. This unique quality is being exploited in many current and futuristic products, such as body amours which are bullet-proof. However, Natural silk from spiders is difficult to produce in bulk. Not many people would stand the sight of a spider farm used to spin silk. However, scientists in Japan have come up with an amazing way to produce silk in bulk: by using bio-engineered bacteria. They simply decoded the gene in spiders which enables them to produce silk, and in a unique fete of bio-ingenuity, created bacteria which generate silk very fast. By the end of next year, the company will have produced 10 tons of silk. Transparent Alumina A .50 caliber rifle is so potent that it can destroy an armored parked more than a kilometer away. Such a weapon is devastatingly powerful, and it is truly capable of destroying many things. What a .50 caliber round cannot penetrate is transparent alumina. Since this material is three times stronger than steel, it’s not farfetched thinking to predict that transparent skyscrapers will be doting our landscape soon. If we see used in body armor and military gear, humans may have to come up with other ways of destroying each other on the battlefield. This is not an exhaustive list; we have only covered five substances that will shape the future. There are many more miraculous substances which will have a great impact in the coming years. We can only hope that many of them will be used for noble causes.