Explore the fascinating world of smart materials in this 29-minute lecture from The Royal Institution. Discover how solid objects of the future will react, sense, change, and move according to their surroundings without the need for complex robotics or electronics. Learn about self-regulating houses, self-fixing bicycles, and self-illuminating roads as examples of how these innovative materials will revolutionize our daily lives. Delve into topics such as the hardness of materials, piezoelectricity, thermochromics, and shape memory alloys. Gain insights into the potential applications of smart materials in various fields, including aeronautics and temperature control. Join award-winning materials scientist and engineer Anna Ploszajski as she presents an engaging overview of the exciting possibilities that smart materials hold for shaping our future.