Japanese scientists at Tokyo University have invented a new chemical compound that they call “elastic water.” It is called that way because the substances used for its creation are regular H2O, clay and another organic compound. The result is made out of 95% water, and has the consistency of Silly Putty. AkihabaraNews says that it has also been reported on Japanese Nation TV station NHK.

The people who invented it say that, for now, this new product's immediate applications are only medical. Old, scarred tissue can be more easily regenerated if in contact with the elastic material. They call it “elastic water” because the quantity of water is the most abundant in the compound. With two grams of clay and a small quantity of the other organic matter, they have managed to produce this fresh type of clay-ish water, which can easily become the material of the century.

All we can do is speculate for now, like everybody else, about future uses of this product. The scientists at Tokyo University state that they are trying to harden its consistency. Maybe we could get rid of the oil-eating, omnipresent, really hard to recycle plastic, once and for all. This product is 100% ecological. Medicine could easily profit from this by replacing all the other semi-organic plastic-based prostheses in the business.

Another use for it could be, of course, delivering it to areas where water resources are scarce. It can be transported more easily in a compact shape. If the locations that need water are very far from the supplier, perhaps this elastic water will also better maintain its freshness.

Maybe some new toys will appear, making parents' lives easier not having to worry about the materials used in the stuff their children play with. It does remind me of Flubber, so it should be kind of fun to play with the elastic water.

There are, of course, a lot more possible future uses for the elastic water, but for now, we have to wait so that the Japanese perfect the material and study it in detail. Look for the latest issue of British science magazine “Nature,” as an article has been published there.


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