1420: "Vanta Black"

ScienceHistoryPodcast
Written By JC

Interesting Things with JC #1420: "Vanta Black" – It’s not just black, it’s the absence of shape itself. Discover the color that bends perception, ignites a feud, and vanishes light like a trapdoor in space. This episode was suggested and inspired by long time listener Dr Igo

Curriculum - Episode Anchor

Episode Title:
Vanta Black

Episode Number:
#1420

Host:
JC

Audience:
Grades 9–12, college intro, homeschool, lifelong learners

Subject Area:
Physics, Materials Science, Visual Perception, Art & Design

Lesson Overview

By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

  • Define what Vantablack is and describe how it interacts with light.

  • Compare Vantablack to conventional black paints and other ultra-black materials.

  • Analyze the technological and artistic implications of exclusive material rights.

  • Explain the scientific principles behind light absorption and visual perception.

Key Vocabulary

  • Vantablack (VAN-tuh-black) — A material made from carbon nanotubes that absorbs 99.965% of visible light, making objects appear flat or invisible.

  • Nanotubes (NAN-oh-toobz) — Extremely small cylindrical structures made of carbon atoms, used in advanced materials for their strength and conductivity.

  • Absorption (ab-SORP-shun) — In physics, the process by which a material takes in light energy and converts it to heat rather than reflecting it.

  • Infrared (IN-fruh-red) — A type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light, used in sensors and thermal imaging.

  • Visual Perception (VIZH-oo-uhl per-SEP-shun) — The brain's interpretation of visual stimuli, including light, shadow, and shape.

Narrative Core

  • Open – The episode starts with a striking description of an ultra-dark material created in 2014 that seems to erase the surface it covers.

  • Info – Listeners learn about the science of Vantablack, how it’s made, and why it’s significant to engineering and science fields like aerospace and optics.

  • Details – The episode reveals the unexpected controversy around artist Anish Kapoor’s exclusive rights and a scientific upgrade developed at MIT.

  • Reflection – JC explores how perception depends on light and shape—and how materials like Vantablack challenge what we think we see.

  • Closing – "These are interesting things, with JC."


Transcript

Back in 2014, a company in southern England made something so dark, it nearly erased whatever it touched.

They called it Vantablack (VAN-tuh-black). Independent tests showed it absorbed 99.965 percent of visible light. For comparison, regular black paint still reflects about 3 to 5 percent. Vantablack let out just a trace, about 0.035 percent. If you covered a wrinkled or bent surface in it, the shape disappeared. No shadows. No shine. Just a flat patch of pure black.

The name stands for Vertically Aligned Nanotube Arrays (NAN-oh-toob uh-RAYS). It's made from carbon, shaped into tiny tubes you can't see with the naked eye. They stand straight up, packed close together like a miniature forest. When light hits them, it doesn't bounce off. It gets trapped between the tubes and turns to heat.

This wasn't something you could brush on. The original version had to be grown in a lab. Engineers used high heat—around 400 degrees Celsius, or 752 Fahrenheit—and vacuum chambers to form the tubes right on the surface. It only worked on certain materials, like aluminum or silicon (SILL-ih-con), that could handle the temperature.

The folks behind it, Surrey NanoSystems (SUH-ree NAN-oh-sis-tems) out of Sussex, built it for science. Not for decoration. They were solving real problems. Telescopes, satellites, and optical sensors all have to block out stray light. Even a small reflection inside a camera can ruin an image. By lining those parts with Vantablack, they got clearer pictures, especially in space.

Defense groups took interest too. Thermal sensors and infrared cameras work better when nearby surfaces don’t reflect light or heat. The company didn’t share military results, but the idea was simple: stop the light, and you keep the image clean or the object hidden.

People have worked on this kind of thing for decades. Even during the Cold War, engineers used black coatings to help with infrared photography and surveillance. But those older materials still reflected a fair bit of light. Vantablack changed that. It didn’t just make things darker. It made them visually disappear.

Then came the part nobody expected.

In 2016, the sculptor Anish Kapoor (ah-NEESH kuh-PORE)—he’s the one behind the big mirrored bean in Chicago—got exclusive rights to use Vantablack in artwork. A lot of other artists weren’t happy. They felt a material that extreme shouldn’t be locked up. One artist, Stuart Semple (STEW-urt SEM-pull), responded by selling bright pigments online and joked that Kapoor wasn’t allowed to buy them. That feud made its way into headlines.

While that was going on, a team at MIT—the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (mass-uh-CHOO-sits)—came up with a new version that absorbed even more light: 99.995 percent. That number might not sound like much more, but to the human eye, it’s the difference between near black and a complete void. The team released their method to the public, no strings attached.

To prove the effect, they coated a 16.78 carat yellow diamond, worth more than two million dollars, and put it on display. Once coated, the diamond stopped reflecting. It looked like a hole in the room.

That’s what makes these materials so strange. They don’t just change the color of something. They erase its shape. We use light and shadow to tell where something starts and ends. When all of that is gone, your brain has nothing to grab onto. A round shape looks flat. A raised edge looks like a dent. You know something’s there, but you can’t make sense of it.

Later on, the company made sprayable versions like Vantablack S-VIS (VAN-tuh-black ESS-viz), which could be applied in controlled settings. But the original material stayed limited to scientific use.

Vantablack is more than a color. It’s a reminder. We don’t really see things—we see the light that bounces off them. Take away the light, and even something solid can vanish right in front of you.

These are interesting things, with JC.


Student Worksheet

  1. What does the acronym VANTABLACK stand for, and how is the material structured?

  2. How does Vantablack compare to regular black paint in terms of light absorption?

  3. Why was Vantablack originally created, and who primarily used it?

  4. What controversy arose in the art world involving Vantablack?

  5. Describe the effect of coating a diamond with the newer MIT version of ultra-black material.

Teacher Guide

Estimated Time:
45–60 minutes

Pre-Teaching Vocabulary Strategy:
Use image comparison (e.g., photos of Vantablack-coated vs. non-coated objects) and analogies (e.g., “forest of tubes” metaphor) to introduce vocabulary.

Anticipated Misconceptions:

  • Students may confuse black paint with ultra-black materials.

  • Students may believe Vantablack is widely available or easy to use.

Discussion Prompts:

  • Should exclusive artistic rights be granted for scientific materials?

  • How do materials like Vantablack change our understanding of perception and reality?

Differentiation Strategies:

  • ESL: Provide visuals and simplified vocabulary sheets.

  • IEP: Break content into smaller steps with guided note-taking.

  • Gifted: Research MIT’s public release and compare absorption values.

Extension Activities:

  • Write a short story or comic about a world where all light is absorbed.

  • Investigate other materials used to manipulate light, like fiber optics or stealth coatings.

Cross-Curricular Connections:

  • Physics – Light behavior, wave absorption, thermal conversion.

  • Art & Design – Use of color, contrast, and perception.

  • Ethics – Ownership of scientific discoveries and artistic materials.

Quiz

Q1. What percentage of visible light does original Vantablack absorb?
A. 98.5%
B. 99.965%
C. 99.995%
D. 100%
Answer: B

Q2. What material is used to make Vantablack?
A. Graphite dust
B. Charcoal
C. Carbon nanotubes
D. Black dye
Answer: C

Q3. What field primarily benefited from Vantablack’s original use?
A. Education
B. Automotive design
C. Space science and defense
D. Fashion
Answer: C

Q4. Who obtained exclusive rights to use Vantablack in artwork?
A. Stuart Semple
B. Damien Hirst
C. Anish Kapoor
D. Banksy
Answer: C

Q5. What did the MIT team coat with their ultra-black material?
A. A car
B. A satellite lens
C. A diamond
D. A mirror
Answer: C

Assessment

  1. Explain how the structure of Vantablack causes it to absorb so much light.

  2. Analyze the implications of limiting scientific materials to exclusive artistic use.

3–2–1 Rubric:

  • 3 = Accurate, complete, thoughtful

  • 2 = Partial or missing detail

  • 1 = Inaccurate or vague

Standards Alignment

NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)

  • HS-PS4-3 – Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the absorption and emission of electromagnetic radiation.

  • HS-PS3-2 – Develop and use models to describe how energy is transferred through systems.

Common Core (ELA-Literacy)

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2 – Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text.

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.4 – Determine the meaning of domain-specific words or phrases in a scientific context.

ISTE Standards for Students

  • 1.1 Empowered Learner – Use technology to demonstrate understanding of complex scientific ideas.

  • 1.3 Knowledge Constructor – Evaluate the accuracy and relevance of information.

UK National Curriculum – Key Stage 4 Physics

  • Energy Transfer and Waves – Understand how electromagnetic waves interact with matter and the principles behind absorption.

Cambridge IGCSE Physics (0625)

  • Section 3: Energy, Work and Power – Light absorption and energy transformation principles.

Show Notes

This episode dives into the fascinating story of Vantablack, one of the darkest substances ever created. Developed for use in space science and defense to absorb nearly all visible light, its strange and powerful properties challenge how we perceive shape, form, and even reality itself. JC explains how carbon nanotubes trap light and convert it to heat, rendering objects seemingly invisible. The episode also explores the controversial art world feud sparked by Anish Kapoor’s exclusive rights and the scientific breakthroughs that followed. A perfect fusion of physics, perception, and ethics, this topic provides rich discussion points for classrooms and learners alike.

References:

JC https://jimconnors.org
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