US military scientists have developed a transparent metallic clay that could lead to the creation of bulletproof mobile phones, it has been revealed.
The material would be far more durable than glass and means that future smartphones, laptop screens and camera lenses would be far more difficult to break.
The clay is made from a magnesium and aluminium-based mineral called spinel and has been research over the last ten years.
It can be molded into virtually any shape and unlike conventional bulletproof glass, it does not block the infrared wavelength of light.
This means that it can be used on camera lenses, including those built into mobile phones.
The material could also be used in military lasers and infrared equipment.
Dr Jas Sanghera, who led the research, said that it is "game-changing technology".
He added: "Spinel is actually a mineral, it's magnesium aluminate. The advantage is it's so much tougher, stronger, harder than glass. It provides better protection in more hostile environments — so it can withstand sand and rain erosion.
"You could leave these out there for longer periods of time, go into environments that are harsher than what they're encountering now, and enable more capabilities."
The clay has been created by pressing a nanopowder together and then heating it to produce a pure piece of spinel crystal.
This new technology has been licensed to a company that has been able to make spinel in larger quantities to suit a variety of different applications. In the future, it could give rise to a new class of crack-proof, bulletproof smartphones which are far more durable than the the ones currently on the market.