A new shape-changing metal crystal is reported in the journal Nature, by scientists at University of Minnesota.

It is the prototype of a new family of smart materials that could be used in applications ranging from space vehicles to electronics to jet engines.  The crystal has two different arrangements of atoms, switching seamlessly between them.

Martensite can change shape tens of thousands of times when heated and cooled without degrading. (Source: BBC News, October 4, 2013)