A wondrous material, aerogels look like they came from the future. They are sometimes even called “solid
smoke” for their light blue and somewhat transparent look. They even have the characteristics and
properties of a futuristic material: they are the lightest known material, are one of the best thermal
insulators in the world, and can withstand 500 to 4,000 times its own weight. On the contrary, aerogels
have been around since the late 20s, but they are just now being made commercially available, being
something that only big government companies like NASA could afford. These aerogels will allow us to
expand and grow our world, making us more efficient, warm, and more educated on our and other worlds.