Solid Smoke
"It has 14 Guinness Book of World Records-type properties," Dr. Tsou said. "It's the lowest density of any solid, and it has the highest thermoinsulation properties. Though it would be very expensive, you could take a two- or three-bedroom house, insulate it with aerogel, and you could heat the house with a candle. But eventually the house would become too hot."
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It also has incredible compressive strength. "It can take 2,000 times its body weight without damage," Dr. Tsou said. NASA's Web site shows a 2-gram cube of aerogel (less than 0.1 ounce) supporting a 2.5-kilogram brick (about 5.5 pounds).
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Because of its ability to keep electronics on both the 1997 Mars Pathfinder and the current rover, Spirit, at room temperature in the face of minus-100-degree cold, aerogel will probably remain the insulator of choice on Mars missions for some time, Dr. Tsuyuki said.
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