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Why 'Prince Rupert's Drop' Glass Is Strong Enough to Shatter a Bullet (2023)


Don’t be fooled by this delicate drop of glass. It’s actually really hard to destroy.

When a glassmaker drops a molten glass bead into a tank of water, its surface cools rapidly, quickly forming a hardened shell around the liquid interior, similar to an egg white cooking faster than the yolk inside. Prince Rupert’s drops may be fun to break, but they also present an opportunity to strengthen useful objects—for example, a special type of tough glass could cover our mobile devices. She lives in the Northeast with her two favorite people and one curious, feisty feline, but always seeks to combine her love of food, nature, and travel into memorable journeys away from home.

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