In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home—ever seen it?
Came out in 1986?
The crew of the original Enterprise go back in time?
To…1986?
Anyway, there's a scene where chief engineer Scotty describes a lighter, sturdier, futuristic alternative to plexiglass: transparent aluminum.
This stuff is supposed to be so strong that it makes up the viewports of the Enterprise.
The coolest part though, is that this stuff is not just science fiction!
Transparent aluminum actually exists, and it pretty much lives up to Scotty's hype.
And it's just one of many cool new materials that seem like they were plucked straight out of science fiction.
From invisibility cloaks to self-repairing concrete, the future is now.
