We've written here before about reflective clothing that
makes people seem to
disappear.
This technology is now being
used for spy planes. But even more innovations are coming:
We will soon have clothes that can detect the presence of
chemical weapons, then clean and decontaminate themselves.
This research is being funded by the Department of Defense,
meaning the clothes you wear in the future may come courtesy
of the U.S. military, even if you are not a soldier in
uniform!
Smart materials for clothing are becoming a reality and one
of the world's leading experts in this field is chemist
Sergiy Minko. By studying the behavior of single molecules
and the assembly of molecules, he is learning how nature
assembles and reassembles molecules to achieve specific
properties in materials that can be made into cloth. He has
discovered that some natural materials are capable of smart
responses to external stimuli, such as temperature changes
or exposure to acids and bases.
The perfect example of this is our own skin, so it's too bad
it's no longer social acceptable to go around naked. "Skin
is a good example of a material capable of smart responses
based on outside stimuli," Minko says. "The pores open and
close based on temperature and humidity and thus help the
body to regulate its internal temperature."
One of his current projects is a self-cleaning fabric that
can be used for awnings and convertible tops.
Art credit: http://www.freeimages.co.uk
Is "Planet X" something real or just a rumor? It turns out
that it may be
part of our
future William Henry reveals that Planet X has been a part
of the mythology of every culture since ancient Sumeria.
Besides being one of the guest hosts of Dreamland (his next
Dreamland show will be on June 25th),
William
Henry is one of our most popular authors. All his books are
spiral-bound and extensively illustrated. They are privately
printed by the author, which is why the unknowncountry.com
store is one of the few places you can find them. If you're
not familiar with William, you should discover him today!
If you want to keep up with the REAL news of the future,
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