Remember shear-thickening fluids (Muse, July/August 2008)? An STF looks and acts like a liquid, but stiffens when pressure is applied. The harder you push on it, the more it pushes back. One company has found a new application for STFs: pointe shoes worn by ballerinas.

Traditional pointe shoes are very stiff, allowing ballerinas to stand on their tiptoes.They're so stiff, though, that they can be extremely uncomfortable and cause bloody blisters. The new pointe shoes are lined with an STF called d3o.This means they're soft and flexible at rest but harden on impact, providing support for a dancer's toes. (This sounds more practical than our cornstarch-andwater mix, but less fun to throw.)

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