https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/disappearing-plastics-stay-strong-in-the-shadows-and-melt-away-in-the-sun/ > In the Greek myth of Icarus, wings that melt in the sun are a tragedy. For the U.S. military, however, flying vehicles that vaporize in sunlight could be a potent weapon: picture a drone that vanishes without a trace after covertly delivering supplies to a remote location. > Engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new type of plastic that can form flexible sheets and tough mechanical parts—then disappear in minutes to hours when hit by ultraviolet light or temperatures above 176 degrees Fahrenheit. Previous efforts to make plastics that self-destruct on command have had trouble preventing such materials from disintegrating at room temperature. But the Georgia Tech team’s new substance can remain stable for years, as long as it shuns the sun.