Nobel prize awarded for graphene

[Uncle Yuan]

I haven't heard of this stuff before today, but it sound pretty incredible.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101006/ap_on_hi_te/eu_nobel_physics

My suggestion - "cable" for a space elevator.

[lugaru]

Or invincible graphite armor.

Not for anything in particular, just to wear around the house.

Now they gotta get working on jet boots.

[Tawodi Osdi]

I was thinking the other day that if we are to get off fossil fuels without collapsing civilization we would need some sort of substance that is readily available and easy to manipulate.  Carbon and silicon seem the likeliest of possibilities.  We've pushed silicon much further than what I have thought possible, but I feel that, in the long run, carbon is where it's at. 

[thalaw2]

It will probably be years before anything comes at the consumer level.  I don't see many companies willing to overhaul their factories right away to support this...It would be cool if they could just give it away like the cure for polio.