Engineering & MachinesMaterials Science
Metal With a Memory
Some metals return to their shape when warmed
Crumple a wire into a tangle, dip it in warm water, and it untangles itself into its old shape. How can metal remember?
You'll find out
- How a metal remembers a shape
- What warmth does to its atoms
- Where it already saves lives
Why it matters
Shape-memory metal opens stents inside arteries. It shows that even a lump of metal can hold a memory.
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