Silica nanofibre research. Dr Gilberto Brambilla of the Optoelectronics Research Centre at Southampton University, UK, mounting a fibre on his nanowire fabrication rig. Brambilla and colleagues have created silica (silicon dioxide) nanofibres that are nearly 1000 times thinner than a human hair and weight for weight are 15 times stronger than high strength steel. Unusually, as the diameter of the fibres decrease, their strength increases. The nanofibres could be used to create high strength lightweight materials for the aviation and marine industries.