22 February 2008: Progress on a global problem

Scientists around the globe spend their time trying to solve the world's problems; such as climate change, energy shortage, hunger, and snapping rubber bands. Now they have made progress, on the last one at least.

A group of French scientists have made a rubber band from material that can heal itself after a break. All you have to do is press the broken edges back together for a few minutes. The bands can be broken and repaired over and over again.

And the bands are made from recyclable materials which can be broken down with heat, so they are environmentally friendly, too.

Whether the bands can also be persuaded not to fly off and hide in a dark corner wasn't revealed.