The Superabsorbent Nanosponge That Only Soaks Up Oil (100x Its Own Weight!)

Using carbon nanotubes and a dash of boron, scientists at Rice University have created a sponge that only absorbs oil. The superabsorbent sponge may not be of much use in the kitchen, but selective sucking of oil could be very helpful in cleaning up oil spills in the ocean. Other perks: the nanosponge is attracted to magnets, so that's they're easily controlled, and they're reusable. At the end of this video, grad student Daniel Hashim shows how to extract energy from the oil-soaked nanosponge by burning it. Then you're left with just the nanosponge, all ready to absorb oil again. [via SciAm]