A diver is seen underwater during a practice session at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 31, 2014.
A diver is seen underwater during a practice session at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 31, 2014. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth
A diver is seen underwater during a practice session at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 31, 2014. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT DIVING)

Oxygen tank among divers would soon become optional following the discovery by scientists of a crystalline material that pulls oxygen out of the surrounding environment. The material, dubbed as Aquaman Crystal, uses cobalt to pull and release oxygen without the need for big storage tanks.

All divers need is a few grains of the crystal to store sufficient oxygen to breath, allowing swimmers to go on an extended dive without the burden of carrying a tank, reports Business Insider. That also means lung patients could leave home without the oxygen tank.

This capability, previously associated with fantasy comic book characters like Aquaman, according to research, could suck up all the oxygen in a room by just ingesting a spoonful of the crystal, which can hold the oxygen until the diver or swimmer wants to release it.

Christine McKenzie, a researcher for the project at the University of Southern Denmark, explained, quoted by Business Insider, "When the substance is saturated with oxygen, it can be hampered to an oxygen tank containing pure oxygen under pressure - the difference is that this materials can hold three times as much oxygen."

She explained that cobalt provides the new material the molecular and electronic structure that allows it to absorb oxygen from surroundings. McKenzie added that she was not surprised to witness that effect on the new material because small amounts of metal are essential to absorb oxygen.

For a peek at Aquaman's capabilities, here's a trailer of the Warner movie..

YouTube/European Movie Trailers