In 2017, CU Boulder engineers turned glass microspheres into a 50-microliter film; 10 to 20 square meters of it could help cool a family-sized house

A team of researchers has developed a groundbreaking thin film that cools surfaces without the need for electricity or water. By employing minute glass spheres coupled with a reflective silver layer, this innovative material effectively bounces sunlight away. A small application of this film on roofs can significantly reduce the heat in a family home, providing a remarkable passive cooling solution with additional advantages for power plants and solar panels.