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The Blackest Material

Posted by kdawson on from the reflect-on-this dept.

QuantumCrypto writes "Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have created 'the world's first material that reflects virtually no light.' This anti-reflection technology is based on nanomaterial and could lead to the development of more efficient solar cells, brighter LEDs, and 'smarter' light sources. In theory, if a room were to be coated with this material, switching on the lights would only illuminate the items in the room and not the walls, giving a sense of floating free in infinite space."

12 of 299 comments (clear)

  1. Looks like a fish, by Clever7Devil · · Score: 4, Funny

    Moves like a fish, steers like a cow.

    --
    "By the time they had diminished from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect 'Hungry.'" -Gary Larson
  2. To get this out of the way... by EvanED · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess we know what material Hotblack Desiato used to make his stunt ship...

  3. #GGGGGG by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, THAT black?

    1. Re:#GGGGGG by skoaldipper · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, you know what they say...

      Once you go #GGGG, you never go ^H^H^H^H.

      --
      I hope, when they die, cartoon characters have to answer for their sins.
  4. how much more black could this be? by chameleon_skin · · Score: 5, Funny

    The answer is none.

    None more black.

  5. Re:tsk by Ekhymosis · · Score: 5, Funny

    As per your signature, if the walls in the dungeon were coated with this stuff, a grue would most definately have its way with you =)

    --
    Fighting over religion is like seeing whose imaginary friend is best.
  6. Blackness by ElephanTS · · Score: 4, Funny

    Emo's are going to love this stuff.

    --
    spoonerize "magic trackpad"
  7. Re:Outside by Darth+Muffin · · Score: 5, Funny
    ... or you could just close your eyes and get the same effect. Much cheaper too :)

    All of my kid's Goth friends are probably rejoycing and wondering when they can get a t-shirt or trechcoat made of this stuff.

    --
    Real programmers use "copy con program.exe"
  8. Is it blacker than priests socks? by Larry+Lightbulb · · Score: 4, Funny

    DOUGAL: Anyway, what else did you order?

    TED: Priest socks. Really black ones.

    DOUGAL: I read somewhere, I think it was in an article about priest socks that priest socks are blacker than any other type of socks.

    TED: That's right Dougal. Sometimes you see lay people wear what look like black socks but if you look closely you'll see they're very, very, very, very, very, very, very dark blue.

    DOUGAL: Actually that's true. I thought my uncle Tommy was wearing black socks but when I looked at them closely they were just very, very, very, very, very, very, VERY, very, very, very dark blue.

    TED: Never buy black socks in a normal shop. They'll shaft you every time!

  9. Re:Is this a record? by maxume · · Score: 5, Funny

    Things to help you relax are available in liquid, pill, written, aural, visual, surgical and human forms, among others. Maybe give one of them some serious consideration.

    --
    Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  10. Re:What does it look like? by Russ+Steffen · · Score: 4, Funny

    Here's a picture, in one of the very few graphic formats Slashdot will accept in a comment, XBM -

    #define noname_width 16
    #define noname_height 16
    static char noname_bits[] = {
    0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,
    0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,
    0x00,0x00};

  11. Re:Actually... by DittoBox · · Score: 4, Funny

    HOMER: What are you inferring?
    LISA: I'm not inferring anything. You infer; I imply.
    HOMER: Well that's a relief.

    --
    Good. Cheap. Fast. Pick Two.