Scientists in Australia and China working independently on projects, have claimed to have invented an intelligent material, one that could keep functioning even if you were to shoot it into bits with a gun. Hmm… doesn't that sound a lot like the Terminator from Terminator 2: Judgment Day!?
The secret behind this unusual behavior is gallium. Gallium when exposed to temperatures under 30 °C becomes a liquid form. When gallium is mixed with tin and indium, scientists discovered it formed “an intelligent drop”.
They also discovered that when it was kept in brine and with aluminum added to the mix, the material kept going for hours, doing a variety of unimaginable tricks. This included moving in a straight line, running circles around a circular dish, and squeezing its way through holes. Most astonishingly, it was able to heal and repair itself when damaged. It was previously unheard of!
However, we still have some way to go before a T-1000 becomes a possibility. As of now, scientists are still trying to find out why this drop is so intelligent and agile. They discovered that some of the power comes from a charge imbalance across the new material. This imbalance causes a pressure difference between the two ends, pushing the material forward. Later, they also concluded that adding sodium hydroxide (brine) made the drop faster due to the release of hydrogen bubbles.
Its use for humanoid robots is definitely not on the agenda yet. Scientists have said that they have uncovered some excellent and immediate uses for this intelligent material. Some examples highlighted include using it to move liquids through cooling devices without requiring an external power source. Additionally, it can monitor the environment and help deliver materials through piping systems or even blood vessels.
Even now, more than 50 years after the event, the moon landing represents the true endeavor of the human spirit. It shows what can be achieved by teamwork and the collective knowledge of humankind. The swell of pride when the lunar module touched down was palpable. However, the historic moment could have ended in tragedy were it not for the quick thinking of one of the astronauts. Buzz Aldrin has told the story in past interviews of how a crucial switch on the module broke. If he and Neil Armstrong weren’t able to fix it, they would have been stranded in space forever.
The two men had taken their momentous walk on the moon’s surface and re-entered the module. At this point, they had to take great care to run through their checklist very precisely to avoid endangering their lives. A complicated chain of sealing hatches, re-pressurizing cabins, and jettisoning used equipment was all going to plan. After all, it wasn’t the first time they had run through the list of procedures. Back on earth, they had practiced the routine time and time again so they knew exactly what to do when it mattered. But at some point in the run-through, one of them must have made contact with Aldrin’s panel of instruments. As they did, the switch to launch the ascent engine - which would lift the module off the moon’s surface - snapped from its position.
Looking out of the window of the module must have been an awe-inspiring sight. But when Aldrin saw his circuit panel sitting motionless on the moon, it must have sent a feeling of dread to his stomach. Engineers in Houston worked for hours to prevent the mission from ending in heartbreak. Aldrin, however, had a simple solution. He flicked the switch by jamming an ordinary pen into the slot and averting disaster. That’s the kind of ingenuity that was the reason he was there. Sometimes the simplest fix will do, although you wouldn't have thought so in space! They and third astronaut Michael Collins returned home safely to a richly-deserved heroes’ welcome, with stories that will endure forever.