There might be a new way into space using material thinner than human hair, according to NBC News.
Instead of rockets, humans could be "pulleying ourselves" up in a "space elevator" – a direct-line concept of reaching outer space that has intrigued scientists for years, the news outlet reported.
"A space elevator would be able to take cargo, people, and vehicles up into space using a very strong cable and a counterweight," NBC News reported.
To date, no material strong enough has been invented to make the elevator idea a reality, though durable – but difficult to mass produce – "carbon nanotubes" is a "possible contender," NBC News reported.
Fastcodesign.com reported last week a team of MIT scientists designed one of the strongest lightweight materials in existence – possibly closing the gap to the sci-fi dream.
The material is composed of graphene, a two-dimensional form of carbon that is considered to be the strongest of all known materials, the website reported.
As detailed in a paper published in the journal Science Advances, during testing, scientists found samples of the porous material were 10 times stronger than steel, even though they were only 5 percent as dense, Fastcodesign.com reported.
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