A piece of SEAgel sits on soap bubbles. SEAgel (Safe Emulsion Agar gel) is a new material claimed to be the first lighter-than-air solid. It is produced from agar, a seaweed derivative often used as a thickening agent in the food industry, & is biodegradable. As a result of its microscopic pores, SEAgel could be used as a thermal insulator instead of plastic foam and balsa wood in various applications. High-density SEAgel could even be used to replace plastic packaging. SEAgel can be poured into moulds, and is soluble in water above 50 C. SEAgel is a spinoff from US Star Wars" (Strategic Defense Initiative) research."