Boeing has released a new video that reveals that the company has invented a metal which is ‘99.99 percent air’ and can be used in future airplanes, cars and other objects.

The metal is a microlattice which is made up of a series of tubes in a criss-cross pattern and air gaps between each intersection. Microlattice is considered to be one of the lightest materials known to man.

YouTube video grab

Boeing says it’s almost ready to go. But the company has not made it clear whether it has any plans to use the new metal in the short term. The video mentions that it would be useful in future plane structures for removing weight and increasing fuel efficiency.

The video below shows that if an egg is dropped off a tall building one needs about three feet of bubble wrap to stop it from breaking, but with the microlattice metal, an incredibly small amount is needed to absorb the force of the drop.

Feature image source: SchoopWhoop