Cheers to that: Beer waste transformed into energy-efficient window covering

Qingkun Liu, a posdoctoral researcher in physics, lifts up a petri dish holding samples of a new aerogel. (Credit: CU Boulder)

 

Can a new type of transparent gel, made from readily-available beer waste, help engineers build greenhouses on Mars?

CU Boulder physicists have developed an insulating gel that they say could coat the windows of habitats in space, allowing the settlers inside to trap and store energy from the sun—much like a greenhouse stays warm during the winter. And unlike similar products on the market, the material is mostly see-through.