Stuff You Should Know Short Stuff: Vantablack
Jan 27, 2021
Dive into the intriguing world of Vantablack, the ultra-black material that absorbs nearly all visible light, creating mesmerizing visual effects. Discover its fascinating properties and unique structure that makes it a favorite in both art and science. Learn about the rivalry between artists over its exclusive use, with one creating alternatives just to counter the other's dominance. This material doesn't just redefine color; it challenges our perception of darkness itself!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Chuck's Black Office
- Chuck describes his experience renovating his house and wanting a black office.
- This led him to discover the surprising variety of black paint options.
Vantablack's Exclusivity
- Vantablack is an expensive material and may not be commercially available.
- Artist Anish Kapoor holds exclusive rights to use Vantablack, adding to its mystique.
Vantablack's Properties
- Vantablack absorbs 99.965% of light, making it the blackest black.
- It achieves this through vertically aligned nanotubes that trap and dissipate light as heat.