New type plastic bleeds, heals

A self-repairing plastic that turns red to show it's damaged could be important for big structures like bridges, aircraft and even battlefield weapons systems. Self-healing plastic isn't a new concept, but researchers at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., developed one that keeps repairing itself. Professor Marek Urban presented the results of the research at the National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society in San Diego, Calif., this week. The research is partly funded by the Department of Defense. (Sources: PCWorld, 03/27/12, CNET, 03/28/12)