"We wanted to see what would happen to metal's properties under different laser conditions," explains optics scientist Chunlei Guo. "We stumbled on this way to completely alter the reflective properties of metals."

Guo's femtosecond laser pulse lasts the smallest fraction of a second - just one millionth of one billionth of a second. Think about it this way: a femtosecond is to a second as one minute is to the age of the universe.

Because of its extremely short burst, the laser can be plugged into a wall outlet, yet pack a big punch into an area the size of the head of a needle. The precision laser alters the metal before it at a molecular level.

Nanostructures called pits, globules and strands are formed on the metals' surface that expand the surface area and capture all radiation and visible light. The result is a metal that is a pure black: a colour that - unlike a coat of paint - will never wear off.

The technique could be used to improve devices that detect radiation and light. Space telescopes for example, could capture far more light with a laser-blackened metal structure than normal metal.

For the average Joe, the prospect of laser-etching your car black seems like an appealing prospect. But do-it-yourself kits won't be for sale on hardware store shelves any time soon.

Blackening an area of metal the size of your pinky would take at least half an hour. Plus, "if you got your hand in the way of the focused laser beam... it would drill a hole through your skin," Guo says.