Andy Ouderkirk and fellow 3M scientist Mike Weber were zapping polymers with powerful lasers as part of a materials science experiment when Ouderkirk realized he could bind together hundreds of sheets of polymer film to create a highly reflective material. The resulting plastic mirror is much cheaper to produce than the traditional vacuum-coated glass variety. And it reflects light waves from across the spectrum: Because the film doesn't absorb infrared, it can be used as an invisible window coating, screening out solar rays without blocking any visible light and radio waves, as metallic screens do. 3M plans to launch its first plastic-mirror products later this year. "There's an incredible breadth of apps," says Ouderkirk. "We're having a good time exploring."
ELECTRIC WORD
The Mirror Hack'd
Eye of the Needle
Vanishing Act
Visualize World Geeks
Habitrail for Humanity
Ultra-Magnetism
