Move over cassette tapes, adhesive tape has memory too

Materials can store information about their past—like a crease in a piece of paper that has been unfolded is a “memory” of being folded—that can be retrieved or read out and used for various purposes. In everyday life, combination locks must remember the turns of the dial to open, and the memory of specialized materials is used to make airplanes safer, electronics more efficient and bridges stronger and more resilient.