https://www.newscientist.com/article/2173548-strange-spaghetti-crystals-shrink-when-hot-and-wet/ > Zirconium tungstate, a metal oxide, shrinks by around ten per cent when water is added or it is heated to very high temperatures. “It a remarkable material. It acts like a reverse sponge,” says Andrew Goodwin … > To continue reading this premium article, subscribe for unlimited access.