Aerogel is the material with the lowest density in the world. The lightest aerogel currently weighs only 0.16 milligrams per cubic centimeter and can even fly in the air. Aerogel is not only an excellent insulating material but also a good heat insulation material, and can be applied in many fields. For example, aerogel can be used as an insulation material for solar water heaters, which can effectively retain heat and improve the efficiency of the water heater; it can be used to make warm clothing, which has good warmth retention and is lightweight and thin; it can also be used to make lightweight and elastic rackets... 
However, the production cost of aerogels is high and the process is difficult. Therefore, currently aerogels are mainly used in aerospace and aviation equipment, and this new material is not affordable for daily use. But recently, researchers unexpectedly discovered an easy and inexpensive method for making aerogels from dragonflies. 
An entomologist in the UK, while observing the wings of dragonflies, was astonished to discover that the wings of the dragonflies were covered with tiny pores, which were exactly the same as the structure of aerogel! This raised questions for the research team: Why do the wings of dragonflies have such a structure? Through long-term observation, the researchers found that when the dragonfly was in the larval stage, its wings were very soft and moist. Then, the larva of the dragonfly would produce sodium bicarbonate molecules, which reacted with the water in the wings to produce and release carbon dioxide gas. The carbon dioxide would "dry out" the wings of the larva dragonfly and cause the wings to form pores, and the larval wings would form a light, dry and stable structure. 
After understanding the formation process of the dragonfly wings, the research team began to simulate this process in the laboratory. The researchers designed a layer of silica gel filled with water, and by adding bicarbonate molecules, they produced carbon dioxide to dry the gel layer. At the same time, the carbon dioxide molecules were not released but were "locked" in the gel layer, which prevented the gel layer from collapsing. The dried silica gel layer had the properties of being light and strong, and thus the aerogel was produced. 
Aerogel is an astonishing material, being safe, lightweight and stable. The aerogel made from the wings of dragonflies has a simple production process and low production cost. Both in terms of structure and performance, it is exactly the same as the aerogel produced by traditional methods. Researchers stated that due to this new technology for producing aerogel, aerogel may be widely applied on a large scale. Even in the future, they might be able to create aerogel that can be used for building houses.