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UNITED KINGDOM — A research company in the UK has invented a coating material that’s being called “the darkest material in the world,” and a video showing its absorbing power is blowing our minds.
Surrey NanoSystems, which started up in 2006, was initially staffed by scientists from the local university who worked on developing new technology with practical applications. Much of their work was working on nanomaterial that ultimately resulted in what the company calls “Vantablack,” which stands for Vertically Aligned Nanotube Array BLACK. The substance — consisting of “aligned and equally spaced, high aspect-ratio carbon nanotubes” — absorbs pretty much all color/light/shadow and is incredible to observe.
The goal was to, “develop super-black coatings to enhance the performance of sensitive electro-optical imaging systems in a satellite application,” according to Surrey NanoSystems' website.
Yesterday's Have You Seen This?
Have You Seen This? Detective attacked by angry goose
In this week's round of unsuspecting man gets attacked by an angry animal, detective Ray Hall from the Clarksville Police Department was taking a casual stroll back to the office when he was attacked by an angry goose.To illustrate Vantablack’s ability to distort shape and color, SNS released a video in which a bronze mask is coated with the product and rotated on camera. The result is a complete absorption of depth because the black is SO black.
It sounds like most of Vantablack’s application will be in space, and now the company is working to ensure it can handle “the physical rigours of spaceflight.”
