Every day, our lives are positively impacted by world-changing innovations people once
thought were crazy, like airplanes, cell phones, and the internet.
Some crazy inventions, though, take a while to catch on.
You may not have heard of them yet, but here's a look at some amazing inventions that completely
mess with your mind.
"bwaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Vantablack
A special coating made from extremely tiny carbon nanotubes, the ultimate darkness known
as Vantablack paint is so black the inventors claim no instrument exists that is capable
of measuring just how dark it is.
And they continue to innovate even darker versions, which are eventually expected to
absorb all light in the universe, along with hope and probably human souls.
The Dino Sphere
For just under $60 you can have a Dino Sphere, which is powered not by a cord or batteries
but by the tiny sea creatures that live inside it.
Called dinoflagellates, these marine plankton glow using the same process employed by fireflies
and some species of jellyfish.
To make the sphere work, you just pour in the dinoflagellates, expose them to "moderate
lighting" for 8 to 14 hours a day, then shake.
And boom!
You have a living lightbulb.
For about three months, at least.
Ferrofluids
Scientists at NASA were looking for a way to control fluids in space, so they created
the ferrofluid, a liquid medium containing tiny suspended particles of a magnetic solid.
They may resemble the Terminator T-1000, but the metallic fluids actually have a ton of
diverse uses, including improving the performance of loudspeakers and creating seals in hard
drives.
Plus, you know, they just look awesome.
Robot walking tiles
Have you ever wished for an infinite walking surface?
These robot walking tiles use ultrasonic sensors to guess the direction of your next step,
and then they reorient themselves so they're in exactly the place you want to go.
Is it really surprising they're from Japan?
They're a little too slow at the moment to have much practical application yet, but one
day, who knows?
Hydrophobic sand
It's just regular sand that's been covered with a special substance to make it waterproof,
but hydrophobic sand flat out can't get wet, making it terrible for sand castles... and
hilarious for practical jokes.
So what can you actually use it for?
Well, scientists are investigating its uses in farming otherwise arid areas.
You can also buy it from your local pet shop as a handy way to collect your cat's pee for
veterinary samples.
So... that's fun!
Robotic cell phones
Have you ever wanted a robot cell phone that could walk, dance, and make faces?
Then you're going to love Callo and Cally, who are able to do exactly that... for reasons
that are unclear to everyone.
"Yeah!"
If you and a buddy both have robot phones, you can even communicate through them by having
the robots act out your emotional state.
We can't wait to see how they interact with Tinder!
WikiCells edible containers
One of the more innovative attempts to cut down on waste is the invention of the WikiCells
edible container, which is exactly what it sounds like: packaging you can eat.
So after munching down a candy bar, rather than throw away the wrapper, you just eat
that too!
And since it's mainly made from stuff like fruit, nuts, and chocolate, it doesn't taste
too bad, either.
You're welcome, environment!
Starlite
Invented by hairdresser Maurice Ward, Starlite was an incredibly heat-resistant plastic.
In fact, it was so heat resistant that if an egg coated in Starlite was blasted with
a 4500 degree blowtorch, not only would the shell remain intact but the egg inside would
still be completely raw at the end of the test.
And it could withstand a nuclear blast the size of 75 Hiroshimas.
It could have revolutionized the world.
Unfortunately, though, Ward was so protective of his formula that he took the secret of
how to make Starlite with him to his grave, and nobody yet has figured out how to make
the magical plastic again.
Being able to change the world, but choosing not to?
That's truly mad science.
The Gömböc
After over a decade of research, scientists finally managed to create the ultimate Weeble.
"Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down!"
Called The Gomboc, this artificial rock rights itself no matter how you put it down.
So when you place the Gomboc down on any side other than its stable resting position, it
does a little dance of indignation and then rights itself.
Pretty neat, but do we really need rocks that can fight back?
"What have you done?
What have you done?"
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