Lightest metal in the world

A TEAM of scientists claim to have created the world’s lightest material, which can sit on top a dandelion without crushing the tiny seeds.

The substance – which has a wall thickness 1,000 times thinner than a human hair – is made out of tiny hollow metallic tubes arranged into a micro-lattice, a crisscrossing diagonal pattern with small open spaces between the tubes.

The researchers say the material, which consists of 99.99 per cent air, is 100 times lighter than Styrofoam and has “extraordinarily high energy absorption” properties.

Potential future uses for the light material include next-generation batteries and shock absorbers or protective shielding.