If you were wearing face paint that scientists recently developed for the Department of Defense, you would totally let me put a cigarette out on your face. But smoking is bad, so never mind. Hot poker? The face paint was developed by a team of researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi, who were tasked with helping soldiers bear the brunt of heat waves shot off from bomb blasts.

The BBC writes:

Heat-resistant paint for equipment with high operating temperatures, such as boilers, fans and ovens, has existed for some time, but the new substance is also waterproof, non-irritating, easy to apply – and it repels insects.

Hear that flame-throwing mosquitoes? You are no match for this paint!

The team didn’t use the traditional wax base for the paint (that stuff will melt and stick to skin); instead, they worked with silicon, which reflects heat. Also according to DoD regulations, all military face paint – OK, they call it camouflage paint, which I guess is probably more proper – is supposed to contain the bug repellent Deet. Problem there is that Deet is really flammable too, but the researchers have also figured out a way to water it down so it doesn’t, you know, burn your face off. Again from the Beeb:

The lead researcher, Robert Lochhead, said the paint could also be used for fire-proof clothes, tents, and even tanks, and the team was working on a colourless version for firefighters.

In summary, we should just paint the planet in this stuff and never have to worry about fire again.