StarLite

Starlite is a material claimed to be able to withstand and insulate from extreme heat. It was invented by amateur chemist and hairdresser Maurice Ward (1933–2011) during the 1970s and 1980s, and received much publicity in 1993 thanks to coverage on the science and technology show Tomorrow's World. The name Starlite was coined by Ward's granddaughter Kimberly.

Despite interest from NASA and other major technological companies, Ward never revealed the composition of Starlite, which is still unknown. Ward once mentioned that his close family knows the fabrication process, but after his death neither his wife nor any of his four daughters have produced any sample to demonstrate that they know the process.

Under tests, Starlite was claimed to be able to withstand attack by a laser beam that could produce a temperature of 10,000 degrees Celsius. Live demonstrations on Tomorrow's World and BBC Radio 4 showed that Starlite could keep an egg (coated in the material) raw, and cold enough to be picked up with a bare hand, even after five minutes of blowtorch attack. It would also prevent a blowtorch from damaging a human hand.

Former Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence Sir Ronald Mason noted "Maurice sometimes speaks scientific cobblers, but this is really the most remarkable material".

Materials scientist Mark Miodownik described Starlite as one of the materials he would most like to see for himself.

Ward allowed various organisations such as the Atomic Weapons Establishment and ICI to conduct tests on samples, but did not permit them to retain samples for fear of reverse engineering. Ward maintained that his invention was worth billions and he insisted he retain 51% ownership of the formula - a move that may have hindered Starlite's commercialisation.

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Wikipedia