Pedal your bicycle over a sharp object, and your tire could pop. Next year, METL, a new type of tire made mostly out of metal, could help keep your bike rolling by never going flat.
A standard tire contains a rubber tube that’s inflated with air. If this tube gets poked, the air escapes, and the tube must be replaced. METL is not inflated. Its springs bend and return to their original shape, explains Calvin Young, who designed the new tires.
METL tires are made of strong, lightweight metals that can last several decades with proper care. Young based the design on metal tires developed by NASA for Mars rovers!