Ultra-stable stretchy fabric could enable form-shifting plane

An alloy of titanium and nickel is as stable as metallic but stretches like a rubbery polymer. With some artful engineering, it could seemingly also simply finally consequence in applied sciences like form-shifting plane.

Imagine a plane with lengthy wings that contract in midair to vary into shorter – and diagram the craft extra aerodynamic – because it gains slip. To diagram this futuristic technology, engineers would desire a material that is stretchy ample to alternate form yet stable ample to withstand the ingredients all over flight. Xiaobing Ren on the National Institute for…