Damascus steel blades were famed for their wavy patterns and sharp, tough edges. In 2006, scientists found carbon nanotubes inside a 17th-century blade. The method was lost by the 1700s.
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Special steel
The blades were forged from wootz steel from India and Sri Lanka, which held tiny amounts of other metals.
Why it was lost
The ore supply may have changed, and smiths passed skills on in secret. When either broke, the method vanished.
Learn
- Modern copies. Today's 'Damascus' knives are usually layered steel. They look similar but are made differently.
Test yourself
What did scientists find inside a Damascus blade?
Carbon nanotubes. A 2006 study found carbon nanotubes.
Sources
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