Engineers at the University of Leeds are working on a new type of body armor made from cement. The new vests will combine super-strong cement with recycled carbon fiber material. The result, they say, is a material tough enough to withstand most types of bullets.

The project, still in the early research stage, is led by Dr. Philip Purnell. "By using cement instead of alumina," he says, "we are confident we can deliver a cost-effective level of protection for many people at risk. It should be good enough for people like security guards, reporters, and aid workers who are worried about the odd pot shot being taken at them." (Alumina is the raw material used to make aluminum. When super heated it becomes extremely hard.)

Purnell believes many armored vests available today are "over-engineered" for the risks. Cement-based armor would create a new market and would relieve the demand for alumina models needed by soldiers. In the past, UK and U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have faced shortages of heavy-duty combat armor.