Scientists in Hong Kong have demonstrated a new ultra-white ceramic material that can drastically cool buildings by reflecting sunlight and heat at record highs. The beetle-inspired material gets its ability from its nanostructure, stays tough to the elements and should be relatively easy to scale…

Ultra-white ceramic cools buildings with record-high 99.6% reflectivity::undefined

  • @KapiteinPoffertje@lemmy.worldEnglish
    37•6 months ago

    There is a difference between mirror like reflection and diffuse reflection. Mirror reflection is what you get with metal roofs which beam the sun directly to a target resulting in one spot being blinded. Diffuse reflection will spread it around, resulting in more light all around which is what we can handle as humans.

    • JojoEnglish
      30•6 months ago

      Can mostly handle. Snow blindness is a thing, and that’s all diffuse reflection too, not specular. But it’s unlikely a roof would be such a problem.

      • @intensely_humanEnglish
        8•6 months ago

        The reason for snow blindness is the fact the snow fills such a high portion of the visual field.

        • JojoEnglish
          9•6 months ago

          Yeah, hence it’s unlikely a roof would fill it to the same extent and wouldn’t be a problem.