A Weird New Supercooled Material Crystallizes and Glows When Touched

Perhaps you ’re conversant with thestrangeness of supercooled water : It stays smooth well below water ’s freeze compass point until you give it a whack , and eruption , it suddenly turn into solid icing . You ’re in all likelihood less conversant diketopyrrolopyrrole ( DPP ) derivatives , which has similar but also odder properties .

In anew study , scientists introduce DPP8 , one special derivative that can be supercooled to 200 degree F below its freezing point . When light touched , DPP8 suddenly crystallizes , not unlike water turn into deoxyephedrine . The yellow crystals glow under ultraviolet light .

In other words , DPP8 is an extremely tender gloss - commute touch detector . The researchers advise it could have applications in electronics or music . In the meantime , though , it ’s also fairly fun to drawn on .