Scientists have demonstrated that the design of their new 3D metamaterial is the first structure of its kind to achieve the theoretical limit of stiffness.

Called Isomax, the material is a hard foam based on a repeating formation of geometrically shaped cells. Structures like this are an example of what's called a heterogeneous material – made up of different components – and despite Isomax mostly being air and empty space, it's actually the toughest such composite ever designed.

"The Isomax geometry is maximally stiff in all directions," explains materials scientist Jonathan Berger from UC Santa Barbara.

Berger originally conceived of the design for Isomax in 2015, when he was searching for a material with the highest possible stiffness to lightness ratio.