Push materials to their limits, and strange things can occur – such as the discovery of a previously unknown phase of liquid, which has been reported by scientists looking at the development of super-thin, high-density glass.

These types of glass are used in a variety of ways, including in OLED displays and optical fibers, but they can have stability problems. It’s through an effort to tackle those problems that this different type of material has come to light.

Crucially, the newly discovered liquid phase promises thin glass that’s more stable and denser than the materials that have come before – a progression that could open up different ways of using the glass, and even completely new types of devices.