• Aerogel is a new class of material so thin and flexible it has been called "solid smoke," but is a super-efficient insulator that has the potential to transform materials, including building insulators.
• Developed by scientists at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, a quarter-inch of aerogel can match the insulation of 3 inches of fiberglass.
• A new, strong version of fragile silica aerogel was described over the weekend at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society.

From the article:

A major improvement in the world’s lightest solid material and best solid insulating material may put more of this space-age wonder into insulated clothing, refrigerators with thinner walls that hold more food, building insulation and other products. ...