Nanomaterials scientist Joseph McDermott works at the Air Force Research Lab in Dayton, Ohio, with materials so tiny the width of a human hair is huge by comparison.
One amazing invention emerging from the lab is a flexible, cheaper and super-efficient solar panel.
"I always thought it was incredibly exciting to be doing something that no one else has done before," says McDermott. "Then to take that sort of enthusiasm… (and invent) products that can actually change the world - it's a really exciting field to be working in."