Strange new materials that propel the fictional Star Trek universe are being developed by scientists in reality today. Above, the USS Discovery accelerates to warp speed in an artist’s rendition for the TV series Star Trek Discovery.
(Handout)
Advanced materials that seem like they come from Star Trek are becoming reality today.
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This special dampening material could also protect buildings from earthquakes.
Drawing and reality: designing a metamaterial pattern. On the left is the plan; on the right is the actual object.
Bossard/Penn State/Flickr
We are beginning to be able to control very precisely how light interacts with matter, creating opportunities for invisibility, soundproofing and even earthquake damage prevention.