Wood made foldable and stronger than steel

Wood that can be moulded into complex shapes and sculpted into knives sharper than metal ones has been created by the inventors of bullet-proof and fire-retardant wood.

Despite its environmental sustainability, wood’s relative inflexibility and lack of strength have until now counted against it for many purposes in favor of plastics and metals. But scientists at the University of Maryland in the US have discovered ways to treat hardwood sheets and bulk timber so they can pretty much make whatever you want – nails, knives or honeycomb structures strong enough to support the weight of a car.