A professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State has been developing a bullet-resisting metal foam for years. She and her team produced a thin armor that completely withstood standard NATO 7.62×51mm rounds. The shots left an impact indentation on the target that was merely 8 millimeters deep, far less than the standard 44 millimeters allowed by the National Institute of Justice.

The researchers note that the foams have other applications, including shielding against X-rays and some forms of radiation, as well as handling fire and heat twice as well as the metals they’re made of.