Self-healing glass: A cracking discovery

TOKYO - A Japanese researcher has developed - by accident - a new type of glass that can be repaired simply by pressing it back together after it cracks.

The discovery opens the way for super-durable glass that could triple the life span of everyday products like car windows, construction materials, fish tanks and even toilet seats.

Yu Yanagisawa, a chemistry researcher at the University of Tokyo, made the breakthrough by chance while investigating adhesives that can be used on wet surfaces.