Potholes. They’re the scourge of motorists and a potentially lethal hazard to cyclists, but a new ‘self-healing’ road surface could consign them to the dustbin of history.
An international team of scientists from King’s College London (KCL) and Swansea University teamed up with colleagues in Chile to develop an asphalt that mends its own cracks. It was unveiled in February.
The asphalt contains plant-based spores that are packed with recycled oils. When the road is compressed, the oils seep out, softening the bitumen to seal fractures.
