Discovering the world's priciest material: Potential in tech
Where does such an astronomical value come from? Mainly due to its unique properties and enormous technological potential. This substance can be used for, among other things, creating miniature atomic clocks.
A substance has been recognised as the most expensive material on Earth by the University of Oxford, although most people have probably never heard of it. It is called Nitrogen Atom-Based Endohedral Fullerene, and its price is an astronomical £106 million—far beyond what the average person would earn in a lifetime.
According to the portal LadBible, buying just a gram of this substance would take the average Briton as long as 65 years of work. This assumes they would not spend a penny on food, drink, or other basic needs—they would have to live for free! This is only on the condition that they spend no money throughout their lives, which is, in reality, impossible.
What exactly is this extraordinary powder? Its unusual value arises from potential applications in technology. Nitrogen Atom-Based Endohedral Fullerene is a material that could revolutionise the development of highly precise yet miniature atomic clocks.
Traditional atomic clocks are enormous—often the size of a whole room—but this new material could help create compact versions. Atomic clocks play an important role in navigation, particularly in GPS systems, which rely on incredibly accurate timekeeping. If miniaturised, they could be integrated with everyday devices, such as smartphones, providing unprecedented precision in location tracking.
The world's most expensive substance. Where can it be used?
According to "LadBible", scientists from the University of Oxford, who developed this material, believe that endohedral fullerenes may find applications in many technological fields, including future mobile devices.
An interesting fact is the material's name itself. "Fullerene" refers to its specific structure, resembling a "cage" of carbon atoms with a nitrogen atom enclosed inside. This name is inspired by the designs of architect Richard Buckminster Fuller, known for constructing geodesic domes based on interlocking triangles.
According to the British portal ladbible.com, the application of this material could open new possibilities, including even more precise navigation and potentially unprecedented space exploration.
