News Materials Science

This ‘thermal cloak’ keeps spaces from getting either too hot or cold

The prototype fabric could one day help reduce heating and cooling energy costs

A photo of two cars parked next to each other. The car on the left is covered by a large white tarp that is wrapped around it while the car on the right is pink and exposed.

A thermal fabric prototype (shown covering an electric vehicle, left) kept the inside of a car up to 28 degrees Celsius lower than an uncovered car on a summer day in Shanghai.

Huaxu Qiao

By Skyler Ware

If you’ve ever burned your hands on a car steering wheel, you know how hot the inside of a car can get on a summer day.