Japanese Scientists Create Elastic Water

lol

Absolutely any research done to replace plastic with something more organic is a step in the right direction!

in the state of California

any way this is an interesting development maybe they can use it to compliment other traditional materials for say... vibration dampening??? if you can make it about as strong as plastic... well don't get your cellphone wet

Agreed!

Could make for a funny joke.... put a few pounds of this stuff in some ones pool and get them to jump in while you video it for Youtube.

That is if you can just add water to it er add it to water? Also if you can just add it to water this might be great for toxic spill clean ups.

It turns back into water in the sunny beach or microwave? Ice to water.. Oh no, it just ice cube

can i drink it

Technically no.

That said, you could probably eat it depending on what the "organic material" is, and how it interacts with the chemical composition of the water.

Does it come in strawberry flavor?

let's see, water + clay? This guy just invented the bricks that they used to build my house...

UH HELLLOOOOO!!! Like we need another reason to consume MORE water. We're already on our way to a global fresh water shortage. This solves one problem (replacement for plastic) and causes/worsens another (future water shortages). How bout we make everything out of glass? jk, but honestly this won't help much at all.

This invention aint news to Bill Cosby... Say it with me now!

J-E-L-L-O

Water condoms... think about it.

They can use salt water which humans can't drink

I wonder what this "organic material" actually is. Just because it's organic doesn't mean it's perfectly safe for humans or the environment.

kami3k,

I'm guessing it's CHON. The molecule forms a clear substance that absorbs water like crazy. Looks like jello when full of water. Looks like sand when completely dried out.

Wow... I feel sorry for the guys who created this new type of Plastic... ....They might get assisnated by RIVAL corps. Sucks to be them.

This is wonderful! We have plenty of water in the ocean , so now maybe we can have a cheaper stronger safer plastic!

Fill someones toilet with this for a lovely prank.

I know what you mean, but in this particular case it's not that the benefits would be minimal, it's that they would be like night and day. Plastic doesn't decompose, it's an environmental and health nightmare to make, etc - so as long as whatever replaces it can decompose in the long term and has less negative environmental impact in its manufacturing process is a win in my book! Organic food on the other hand is typically a scam to get people to spend more money on.

i dont understand why i got down voted so much. Perhaps i said tht in a bit a bratty way, sorry. But I'm being completely serious. Water shortages are among use, and are one of many future environmental problems that await us within the next decade. As of now, the City of Chicago has been wanting to tap into Lake Michigan in order to utilize the huge amounts of water. Even Cities in Colorado and Las Vegas have been eyeing the Great Lakes with temptation. And, with another use for water, this will cause prices to go up as now you the consumer will be competing for it more than ever. Just my 2 cents. (Seriously, I'm not trying to start a flame war, I'm just getting behind a cause that I see is valuable)

I think the reason you got voted down by so many is because "water" doesn't automatically mean fresh (drinkeable) water, and there's plenty of water to be 'borrowed' from the oceans. To be fair, you are absolutely correct, fresh water is a precious resource which perhaps in our own life time will be more valuable than crude oil (laughable now, but a serious possibility nontheless). I think your comment wasn't very clear at first.

In this instance, it's probably because you stated that "this won't help much at all."

Also, while you do make potentially valid points*, they are lost on your usage and style of language. I'll admit that, upon first viewing, I dismissed your post for seeming immature - causing me to assume ignorance. Even upon second viewing, your claims were unclear and it was not obvious why they were true.

Remember:
-Use proper spelling, grammar, and use language that is appropriate to the tone of the conversation; If the audience is distracted by these, they aren't paying attention to your words.
-Be concise and direct; three sentences are not better than one.
-If you make a claim that is not obvious, then provide and explanation.
-Don't make blanket statements when there is no call to.


*such as using glass instead of plastic, and showing concern of how this will effect fresh water resources - especially if the process can't be undone. At least this is what I take from your post.

Yeah, too bad the oil cartel is gonna find some way to banish it from the U.S.

really hope something better replaces plastic.

If this works on seawater it will be very useful, unless there is an industrial accident and 10,000 tonnes of this stuff spills into the sea and creates the worlds biggest bouncy castle.

Next generation breasts implants

I swear the science community amzes me daily!!!!!!!!!!!

And if sea levels are rising, use the extra water there instead.
Anyone else see the logic in that?

FYI, AMDNoob, the City of Chicago already taps Lake Michigan for it's water, has for years. They have a huge pipe that extends 3/4 of a mile out into the lake. They may be looking to expand that capability, do not know. Really should not concern you, though, because that water eventually comes back to the lake. Great Lakes water has to stay within the Great Lakes watershed. And, honestly, no where in the Great Lakes basin is there a shortage of fresh water.

Do a bit of googling, if all the ice in the world melted, including all the stuff in tundra and on mountains, sea levels would rise by about 67 meters. Sounds a lot but this would take THOUSANDS OF YEARS and even if it did happen it wouldn't submerge the world. Honestly, don't worry about it.