Submission + - The aerogel revolution is almost upon us (timesonline.co.uk)
GnarlyDoug writes: Aerogels, nicknamed liquid smoke, are basically nanofoam. Imagine a material with such a low density that it is transparent yet extremely tough, and such a good insulator that even asbestos cannot compare. It also has a massive surface area, making it perfect as a filter and purifier. Aerogels have been around since the 1930s but they have mainly been laboratory curiosities because they were so brittle and so expensive to make. It seems that has finally changed and that aerogels are about to become mainstream.