Scientists have developed a form of ultrastrong, lightweight carbon that is hard as a diamond yet elastic like rubber and electrically conductive.

"In simple terms, the material combines the best properties of graphitic- and diamond-like forms of carbon," study co-lead author Zhisheng Zhao, professor at Yanshan University, China, said in an email to Xinhua.

"This combination of properties is useful for many potential applications, such as military armor and aerospace."

The findings were published this week by the U.S. journal Science Advances.

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