Today, some glass is mixed with other materials to make it lighter and stronger. Lighter glass is better for our world as it uses up fewer materials. Also, less energy is used to make modern lightweight glass. New types of glass are still being invented.
Glass can help mend human bones.
Bioglass is a new material made partly from glass. It contains a substance, called calcium that is found in bones. Bioglass can be put inside a person’s body. It melts or dissolves and joins onto bones in the body. Bioglass can help mend and strengthen bones.
Not all glass feels hard.
Foam glass is made by trapping gas bubbles in powdered glass. This makes a spongy material that can protect objects against the cold. Water glass is a powder. It dissolves in water to make a varnish. Water glass doesn’t burn. It can make paper fireproof!
Glass can be made in space.
Scientists have discovered that making glass in space creates a very pure glass. Some scientists think they could heat up ‘moon dust’ and materials from other planets to make a type of space glass. This could be very useful if humans build on a distant planet in the future.
