Nano Springs

As we await the full promise of nanotechnology, stories like this keep us optimistic that nano will change the world dramatically:

Super-resilient foams made of carbon tubes only nanometers or billionths of a meter wide that act like springs could help cushion blows in artificial joints or dampen vibrations in microscopic devices.... Repeatedly compressing a cushion normally squashes it thin, making it lose its springiness. The nanotube foams retained their springiness even after 10,000 squeezes....

The feel-good story is artificial joints, but I envision a whole new generation of squishy toys.