9. Starlite - The Nuclear Blast-Proof Material
Starlite was a wonder-material that was claimed to be able to withstand and insulate against immense temperatures. In tests, it was shown to be able to withstand blast from a laser running at around 10,000°C, more than enough to melt a diamond. It was also shown to be able to insulate a raw egg from a five minute attack with a blowtorch, leaving it raw and even cool to the touch. It's thought that it could survive a nuclear blast unharmed. It was invented by an amatuer chemist named Maurice Ward and was hailed as a wonder material. However, Ward never revealed the true composition of Starlite and, when he died in 2011, took the secret with him. It is thought that it is made up of a number of organic polymers and a small number of inorganic additives, but Ward was extremely paranoid about somebody stealing his invention, so even attempting to reverse-engineer existing samples has not been permitted. Despite interest by everyone from NASA to the MoD, Ward insisted on retaining 51% ownership of the formula to protect his interest. UNfortunately, this put off investors so much that they picked up their balls and left, leaving Starlite to be a commercial non-starter and a true lost treasure.