Researchers in Germany recently discovered a way to manufacture rubber that can “heal” after being cut or pierced. In this incredible video, you can see the rubber growing back together.
The implications are far-ranging, and not just for flat tires. This material could mean that rubberized seals on industrial machines would heal, too, potentially creating a safer factory environment. And self-healing rubber is just the latest attempt to create materials that knit themselves back together after damage. Already, there are self-healing metals, protective films, and concrete.
In the future, your machines may heal themselves. That would certainly be a good alternative to throwing things away at the first sign of damage.
Read the full paper on self-healing rubber at the American Chemical Society.
Contact the author at annalee@gizmodo.com.
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