I have been gifted a piece of Hydrophobic Aerogel. Interesting stuff. It's the lightest solid known to man. I have no clue what to do with it but it's interesting to hold and you can see through it. Anyone who knows more about it? It's supposedly the ultimate insulator.
Here's a pic.

 

Never heard of it but my curiosity is piqued.

 

I'm still playing with it. It is so light you can't feel the weight of it in your hand. I dropped it onto the table and it rang like a piece of metal with a bell tone.

 

Did someone working in the aerospace industry give this to you? Looks expensive.

 

When I read the title I thought it was going to be a new version of Astroglide

 

I watched a video where they put a powdered form of it on their hands. When they put their hands in a bowl of water, they didn't get wet. The sample came in a jewelry box. Here's a pic of the lid.

 

Neil deGrasse Tyson has one idea. All you will need is a launch vehicle and a craft capable of intercepting a comet and returning gently to earth.

Or you could go with some fun and games offered by Derek Muller.

 

A Mercury Comet?

 

I keep thinking what a great insulator and soundproofing for automotive apps. I see they are looking at it commercially since MIT developed one that's clearer than glass. Sandwiched between to panes in a window would save lots of BTU's.
Pretty cool.

 

This is the stuff they used to capture fragments from the tail of a comet which were ten returned to Earth for study. I believe it was a Japanese effort but the name escapes me for now. (Edit: Hayabusa I)