The term “4D,” otherwise known as the “fourth dimension,” is often misused in movie theaters to inaccurately promote questionably better 3D movies. But in the world of physics, the “fourth dimension” is very real, and it’s helping scientists discover some truly sci-fi-level metamaterials.

Our run-of-the-mill 3D existence dictates how we perceive the universe—with an x, y, and z axis. However, researchers can also use advanced mathematics and light to develop to extended dimensions—known as “synthetic dimensions”—beyond just the ones we perceive. Additional dimensions allow systems to be manipulated mathematically in different ways, and can give scientists previously inaccessible insight.

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In a paper published last week in the journal Science Advances, scientists from the University of Missouri College of Engineering detailed a new metamaterial that they discovered using the fourth dimension. The team’s metamaterial has the capability to control energy waves on the surface of solid material. These waves help determine how vibrations travel along a surface.

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