A futuristic new technology inspired by billowing clouds could revolutionize the way we heat and cool buildings — all without using electricity.
Researchers at Aalto University in Finland recently developed a groundbreaking new material called nano-clouds. But these so-called "clouds" aren't actually fluffy and cotton-like — instead, they are ultra-thin "metasurfaces" that behave like clouds, turning any surface into a temperature-shifting one.
Inspired by real clouds and even polar bear fur, these color-changing surfaces can switch between a bright white state that reflects sunlight and keeps things cool, and a dark gray state that absorbs heat to warm things up. These nano-clouds could be used for everything from temperature-regulating clothing and car paint to building materials and stealth technology — no electricity required.
But what makes nano-clouds particularly impressive is their ability to remain nearly invisible in the mid-infrared spectrum, which is the range thermal cameras use. This makes them a kind of thermal camouflage — something no previous surface has achieved.
"There is a major global push for passive, energy-efficient thermal management in building materials, wearables, sensors, and defence applications," Aalto University said in an article announcing the tech. "This newly invented system fits perfectly into emerging fields like radiative cooling, adaptive coatings, and thermal heating and thermal camouflage under climate and security pressures."
While typical white surfaces cool by reflecting sunlight, they still glow in heat vision. Nano-clouds won't, instead working like a cloud to bounce sunlight back while remaining hidden from heat sensors. Black materials, on the other hand, absorb sunlight to heat up — yet also light up on thermal cameras as they emit infrared. Nano-clouds solve this, too.
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"This gray surface gets hotter than black — but without sending out heat that can be seen by heat sensors," post-doctoral researcher Moheb Abdelaziz said in a statement. "This could be a game-changer for smart textiles, building materials, and camouflage."
Nano-clouds offer a smarter, electricity-free way to manage temperature, which could lower planet-warming pollution and reduce energy bills. By reflecting sunlight when it's hot and absorbing heat when it's cold — all without electricity — nano-clouds could significantly reduce our reliance on energy-hungry heating and cooling systems. That means less pollution from dirty energy sources like coal and oil, which are major contributors to rising global temperatures.
As a next step, the researchers are working to make the technology responsive in real time, so users can easily switch the surface's state using smart coatings.
It's a big step forward in materials science — and it might one day help buildings stay cooler, people stay warmer, and military gear disappear from heat sensors, all without using a single watt of electricity.
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