Scientists discover a strange property in rice and turn it into a smart material

Scientists at the University of Birmingham discovered that packed rice grains weaken under fast pressure but stay strong under slow pressure — the opposite of most materials. Using this rare "rate-softening" property, researchers built a smart metamaterial by combining rice with sand. The material can automatically bend, stiffen, or buckle depending on impact speed, with no electronics needed, making it promising for soft robotics and protective gear.