While researching new kinds of adhesives, researchers at the University of Tokyo stumbled upon a type of glass that could repair its own cracks, according to Japan Today.
Officially known as “polyether-thioureas”, the self-healing glass doesn’t require high levels of heat to reform, unlike other similar self-repairing materials
The self-healing glass was discovered by accident by graduate school student Yu Yanagisawa, who was attempting to make a glue.
The new glass can be pressed together by hand at room temperature to eliminate cracks.
Polyether-thioureas sticks back together within approximately 30 seconds of being held in place, and returns to its original strength within hours.