UK scientists have been working to recreate a cosmic metal found in asteroids which, if they are successful, could end the West’s dependence on China for the rare earth metals used in almost all tech devices, Yahoo news reported.
Tetrataenite, an iron-nickel alloy, is formed during the course of millions of years in space, the report citing The Cool Down went on, but in the absence of tractor beams or transporters, scientists say they been able to replicate the magnetic metal in the lab but have yet to assess it in real world applications.
“Between the environmental impacts, and the heavy reliance on China, there’s been an urgent seek for alternative materials that do not demand rare earths,” Cambridge professor Lindsay Greer said in a Cambridge report.
Read the full story: Yahoo News
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