What happens when you accidentally tear a favorite T-shirt or pair of jeans? Sure, some of us will repair it, but most people will just throw it out.

当你不小心弄破了自己最心爱的一件T恤或是牛仔裤时，你会怎么办？大多数人估计是直接扔到垃圾桶，当然也有那么一些人会修补修补。

Imagine if there was a way for torn fabric¹ to repair itself.

但是如果有办法让破了的布料自己修复呢？

It's an idea that researchers at Pennsylvania State University have been working on for a few years--and it's now come to fruition.

这是宾夕法尼亚州立大学研究人员研究了好几年的一个课题，而且现在也得到了成果。

The team used bacteria and yeast² to create a biodegradable liquid material that can help fabric to quickly bind³ to itself.

该研究团队使用细菌和酵母研制出一种可降解的液体材料，这种液体可以帮助纺织物快速实现自我修复。

It's a simple process. You put a few drops of the liquid on the tear, apply warm water and press the edges together for a minute. The fabric reattaches and essentially⁴ self-repairs, said Melik Demirel, a professor of engineering science and mechanics at Penn State.

修复过程很简单。宾夕法尼亚州立大学工程科学和力学教授梅利克·德米雷尔表示，只需要滴几滴这种特制液体在破碎的织物上，以温水热敷，将破了的纺织物压在一起一分钟，问题就能轻松解决。

Textile manufacturers can coat already-made fabric with the liquid. The coated fabric then has a self-repair ability automatically built into it, said Demirel, who led the research.

实验的主导人德米雷尔表示，纺织物生厂商可以在已经出厂的布料上涂一层这种液体。带有这种涂层的布料自然而然就拥有了自我修复能力。

Additionally, cloth can be made using fiber⁵ that's actually produced with the protein. This way the cloth will inherently have the ability to self-repair with the application of pressure and water.

除此之外，用这种布料做的衣服中也会拥有这种可修复蛋白，这样一来，如果衣服破了，喷点温水，紧紧压一压，衣服就能自动修补好。

The liquid, which Demirel still hasn't named, has similar properties and structure to protein found in human hair, nails and squid tentacles⁶.

目前，德米雷尔还未命名这种液体，其所包含的蛋白质成分和组织结构与人类头发，指甲以及鱿鱼触角中的蛋白构成相似。

Yes, squid tentacles. Demirel said they were surprised to discover that the protein from squid had self-repairing qualities.

是的，就是鱿鱼的触角。德米雷尔表示，当他们发现鱿鱼身体中的蛋白质具有自我修复能力的时候也很惊讶。

"Squid is a limited resource. So we needed to replicate⁷ this unique property found in squid protein using biotechnology and other substances", he said.

德米雷尔说道：“但是因为鱿鱼的触角有限，所以我们需要通过生物技术和其他物质复制鱿鱼触角中的这种蛋白”。

Over the last year, Demirel's group developed the liquid and tested it on commonly worn fabrics⁸ like cotton, wool and polyester. He found that the liquid didn't alter the quality of the fabric, and that it withstood a wash in a machine.

去年，德米雷尔的研究团队研制出了这种液体，并在棉织物，羊毛制品，涤纶等几种易破织物上做了实验。他发现，这种液体没有破坏织物本来的属性，而且不会因为机洗而影响其效用。

Demirel said he's excited about the commercial application of the liquid. It could help improve protective clothing worn by soldiers, medical staff, even farmers, he said. Demirel's research was partly funded by the Office of Naval⁹ Research and the Army Research Office.

德米雷尔表示自己很看好该液体的商用前景。他说：“这款液体可以帮助士兵，医护人员，甚至是农民保护衣物。”德米雷尔的研究得到了美国海军研究办公室和陆军研究所的支持。