A European Space Agency team has developed a self-healing skin for spacecraft. The material, which is inspired by the human ability to self-heal cuts when blood is exposed to air, forming a defensive covering, autonomously works to plug tears and fractures in a spacecraft's outer layer.

The researchers who created this system incorporated equal amounts of epoxy polymer and a chemical agent that reacts with it into filaments which comprise a composite laminate. These filaments crack easily, causing a strong enough substance to congeal that would protect a cracked outer spacecraft shell.

Via (New Scientist)