IIT Madras’ secret Mars stash: Waterless concrete, bulletproof foams, and living hearts!

Produced by: Manoj Kumar Representative pic

Martian Concrete

[{"selector":"#anim-02177494-4a0b-49bf-ae0c-2f91179497cb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(21.874999829338595%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] IIT Madras’ ExTeM team crafted waterless concrete using Mars-abundant sulphur, ensuring future habitats meet Earth-like durability—essential for long-term human survival on the Red Planet. Representative pic

Impact Shields

[{"selector":"#anim-cde672cc-e08a-4e7f-8529-eca13042963e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-21.874999829338588%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Microgravity experiments aid the development of metal foams, shielding space stations from deadly meteorite strikes—critical for the Bharatiya Space Station and Mars missions. Representative pic

Gravity-Free Fibers

[{"selector":"#anim-ee6dc8e0-796e-4d7d-adb1-8af35520a8dc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(21.874999829338595%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Zeblon optical fibers, designed in zero gravity, solve Earth’s manufacturing challenges, unlocking next-gen communications for space and terrestrial applications. Representative pic

Space Bioprinting

[{"selector":"#anim-2c19972d-2295-4e6d-8047-c4cbff42b14f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.990131491469608%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] IIT Madras’ bioprinted organs in microgravity pave the way for functional hearts, where Earth-bound gravity limits tissue formation—offering hope for future space medicine. Representative pic

Diamond Growth

[{"selector":"#anim-90bcaa5b-21d3-4ecb-8b2f-5ee3ab0149a9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(21.874999829338595%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Space-grown diamond single crystals surpass Earth-made ones in quality, potentially revolutionizing quantum computing and precision optics for deep-space exploration. Representative pic

Solar Power

[{"selector":"#anim-ce1ce9c8-4333-44c1-94c5-010c923682f0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-43.74999965867719%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Engineers are designing in-space solar cells to boost energy generation on Mars and beyond, reducing reliance on heavy Earth-launched panels. Representative pic

Extreme Polymers

[{"selector":"#anim-11bf0091-6af9-48bf-9a13-328b490bba5d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.539473412105648%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Functional optical polymers, developed for high-end space optics, enhance imaging and navigation systems crucial for Mars rovers and satellites. Representative pic

Drop Tower

[{"selector":"#anim-aae1b9af-af3a-4926-afea-2a01e7999edd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-21.874999829338588%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] IIT Madras’ Microgravity Drop Tower, the world’s fourth-largest, simulates weightlessness, testing futuristic materials for planetary bases and deep-space travel. Representative pic

ISRO Alliance

[{"selector":"#anim-e7d07713-d297-4303-b18a-3986b9ead436 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(5.177654485656501%, -17.12328721947876%) scale(1.3424657534246576)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] A powerhouse collaboration with ISRO focuses on thermal management tech , ensuring spacecraft withstand Mars’ brutal climate while advancing India’s space ambitions. Representative pic

Related Stories Are We Just a 2D Trick?: The bold theory turning physics inside out The World Tilted and We Did It: How dam-building reshaped Earth’s axis Beneath the Pyramids, a New Enigma: Radar detects buried shapes and deeper secrets 'India’s Pyramid Secret': Did the Indus Valley ignite Egypt’s first monarchy?