Cables made of smoke

The Times picks up that researchers at The Other Place have had a breakthrough in exotic materials - super-strong carbon nanotubes. These have been around for a while, of course, but the Tabs have got them up to centimetre length and reckon they can get to metre length by April - up to now they've been microscopic only.

And now the science bit - these threads are supposed to be up to 10 GPa in strength, which is three times stronger than Kevlar. This is great in itself because it will mean better armour, better car tyres, better climbing ropes, and all sorts of other worthy and dull applications. Once they get it up to 60 GPa - the theoretical maximum for nanotubes is anywhere up to 150-200 GPa - things get fun, because then you can build a space elevator.